Him, a father? Pffffht
by xXfireXflyXx
Summary: In a world where Voldemort controls everything, Draco Malfoy finds himself a father once again when his four children - who he abandoned years earlier - are dumped at his door. Will he finally grow up? And what's happened to everyone else? - LM/NM, HR/DR
1. A warm welcome? Not quite

**I started this story three years ago, and I think it ended maybe a year or two years ago? It's interesting, because my writing progressively changes throughout the whole thing. It's rather long, and it used to be a favourite of mine to write. It went from not being canon at all, to somewhat mildly more in character, and then I took a whole different spin with it.**

**I wrote this BEFORE book six and seven were out. Or maybe just... No, both. I finished after book seven was published. THEREFORE it is completely AU. **

**I know the writing isn't exactly... top-notch at the beginning, I agree wholeheartedly, but I promise that it gets better as the story moves on. In fact, I'm a little embarrassed at some of the grammar mistakes and the writing for the first few chapters. But... It does change. This is my growing story. Oh, and I'm aware that Narcissa makes Narcissa!fans cringe a little for the first little bit. She makes me cringe. But then I actually made an effort to write her decently, and you'll see the change. **

**Much love. ((:**

**Disclaimer: No Harry Potter characters, setting, etc. are mine. Only the original characters and the plot. I'm not making money off of this, and I'm simply playing in JK's world. **

My mother was beautiful.

No.

My mother _is_ beautiful.

She had dark, enchanting hair, which rolled down her back when she walked. Her green eyes were a mere wonder to any man she looked at, and her curves usually brought much more than a whistle on the street.

I picked up a few traits, which consist in my body. My breasts have always been like hers, a little bigger than the rest of the girls, my thighs aren't sticks, and my butt could have its own Floo System built in.

The rest of me, my blonde hair, misty blue eyes (which could really pass off as gray) are supposedly from my father.

Supposedly... You know, the one who left my mother and my two brothers, my sister, and me.

My older brother, Shane, is sixteen, with brown hair and my eyes. He would have been blonde, but he insisted on getting it dyed every year.

Something about the ladies only going for brunettes now.

My younger brother, Kevin, is thirteen, and was a cheeky little jerk. He's up to my shoulder, and still growing by the day. His eyes are dark blue, making him distinct between Shane and me. My little brother also took to the liking of a brunette, and had mum change his hair permanently.

My younger sister was named Annie, and she had gorgeous blonde curls and bright blue eyes. It was odd, since the rest of us had straight hair. She was five, going on six next year.

Mum told us the reason we were so much older than Annie was because our father came back once to meet up with our mother...

Three guesses what they did.

Mum's an Auror, has been ever since she left school. But, Voldemort came into power less than a year ago, and it was no longer safe or affordable for Aurors to have children. Especially more than one child...

Mum's taking us away from her, she can't look after us. All the Aurors are leaving England. Where they're going, I have no clue, but there are hardly any left.  
Some are staying, vowing they will get back at Voldemort if it killed them, and I think it will.

We're going to stay with dad. He's a big Voldemort Supporter, and close on the inner circle; so mum tells us. Somehow she thinks we'll be safer with him.

"So what's his name again?" Shane asked moodily as we drove along a dark road in our old family car.

Mum finds Muggle things are just... cheaper than all this Wizard crap. Voldemort jacked the prices up some time ago.

I hardly sound English, since Shane has been rubbing off on me. He went to the U.S to study in Salem for two years, and he's officially dropped his accent.

I still talk with one, but I rarely call someone a git... I got straight to Motherfucker.

It just sounds worse!

And growing up with two boys, I'm not really much of a lady. Bit of a bad example on Annie to be honest...

Mum's always been really easy going about that though. She's easy going about... everything. She let me get three holes on my ears, two on my lobe and one up top, and I have two tattoos, one of a sun on my ankle, and another of a pair of shooting stars on my shoulder blade.

"Your father's name is Draco Xavier Malfoy," mum stated, switching on the turning signal and making a sharp left onto a musty trail. Leaves whipped across the dashboard as we entered the forest trail.

"Draco Xavier Malfoy?" Shane repeated, "He sounds like a pussy."

"Shane!" mum shrieked, "Watch your tongue around Annie! Be nice to your father. He doesn't know we're coming... And he doesn't know I'm leaving you lot with him. So be good, for now."

Kevin smirked beside me, "We'll try."

The three of us have always had a knack for trouble...

I'm surprised Hogwarts hasn't kicked us out yet. Some of the older teachers say we're a young Fred and George Weasely, my House Gods.

I was a Gryffindor, like mum, Shane and Kevin were in Slytherin, like dad was. I have a feeling Annie would have been in Hufflepuff. Not because she is dense or anything, but she's so sweet by nature... Not like me.

Mum had to drop us out of school since Voldemort resided there, raising the prices for every child who wasn't the kin of a Death Eater.  
Bastard.

The car pulled to a stop in front of a large pair of metal gates, the words MALFOY written across them in massive cursive writing.

"Whoa..." Kevin gawped, looking through the two front seats at the mansion that lay behind the gates, "Dad's loaded!"

"His family was always rich," my mother stated, "I'm sure you'll be spoiled."

"Yeah somehow I doubt the man who left you alone with us will spoil us, mum," Shane argued, "I'll be surprised if he even lets us stay."

"He won't turn away a boy," mum said, sighing, "His family must always have an heir... And if he takes you three, he's got two."

"And what am I?" I snapped from the back seat, "Chopped liver?"

"Basically."

I knew this wasn't going to be a pleasant stay.

Mum told us to get our bags while she worked out the magical combination on the gates' lock.

Once she got it open and made sure we had all our stuff, she started to cry.

"I don't want to do this," she whispered, "I don't want to leave my babies behind... But you'll be safer here..."

I dropped my bag with a heavy thud and wrapped my arms around her neck, tears streaming down my face.

"We don't want you to go either, mum," Kevin murmured, a tear rolling down his cheek. He and Annie hugged her mid-section, while Shane pulled all three of us into his own muscular hug.

"I'll look after them," he whispered to mum, "I swear to you, I will look after them."

When we had all finally pulled ourselves together, and given each other massive hugs, mum started up the pathway, holding Annie's hand as she skipped along.

The grounds to this mansion were enormous. I could see a barn to the east, which I was guessing held some horses. There were some Quidditch rings to the left of the house, and I could see a lake glimmering in the moonlight to the rear.

For August, it felt nippy. Mind you, it was almost September, but even September wouldn't give me goosebumps.

Mum raised a tentative hand to the large brass knocker, but it fell down again. She was shaking.

Shane pushed Kevin to the side and slammed the heavy knocker against the beautiful door several times, then stepped back.

"Breathe, mum," I whispered, nudging her arm, "It'll be alright."

The door opened and a warm light fell upon our faces, yet we looked down to see a shabbily dressed House Elf.

They were one of _those _families. The ones that treated their help like dirt. We had a maid, a young witch. She was working her way through college, and we housed her. In return she cleaned around the house, but not much.

"Is... Is Draco home?" my mother stammered.

The House Elf looked at Shane with a worried expression, then nodded, "Yes Missis, come inside, come inside. Not good to be out at night. No, no, no. Little ones catch a cold, mmm hmmm. I'm Kille, Missis, how shall I announce you?"

"Tell him..." my mother started, but words failed her.

"Tell _Draco_ that his wife and kids are here," Shane growled. My dad have never actually divorced mum, so I guess you could say they were still married.  
The House Elf's eyes widened and she bowed, and then scurried off.

The inside of the house was almost as lovely as the grounds. There was a massive, marble staircase, a glimmering chandelier, paintings of old, blonde people, and handmade carpets.

I could get used to living here.

But not without mum.

A glass shattered in the next room and the sound of chairs scraping against the floor could be heard.

Mum's breathing increased and Shane rubbed her arm gently. A pair of men appeared at the door in which Kille had rushed into.

They both looked just how my mum described my father. One had shoulder length blonde hair, pulled back into a small ponytail. His robes were clearly made of velvet, dark green velvet. The other was an older version, his hair longer, and in black robes.

"Joy-Joyce?" the younger said, stumbling over my mum's name, "What are you doing here."

"Hello Draco," she muttered, stepping in front of me and Kevin, "Lucius... I'm sorry to barge... But, please Draco I'm desperate. I... I can't look after them anymore. You know my job! Ever since He came into power it's been so hard... I need to leave, and I want our children to be safe..."

"Put them in an orphanage," the elder suggested, an amused smirk on his face, "I'm sure Ministry supporting children will do well there."

"They're your grandchildren," mum begged, "They're your blood! These are your sons, Draco... Your little girl."

I'm fifteen, not little. But, I've always wanted to be a Daddy's little girl, like my friends.

I never was though.

"Why don't you send them to Hogwarts?" Draco inquired, "Let them-"

"I have no money, Draco," mum cut in, "I can't afford it... Not with Him running it. I won't send them there, not while my baby happens to be in Gryffindor."

My dad looked over to me with mild disgust, and I glared back with hot loathing.

Annie started walking towards mum, but I quickly picked her up and settled her on my waist, just so she could see everything.

"Please, please Draco," mum pleaded, slowly inching over to him, "I wouldn't do this unless I was in dire need... Merlin help me I am..."

I saw Shane's face furrowing, and his teeth were grinding, which meant he wanted to say something, but knew it was wrong.

"If you don't take them... They'll have nothing," mum whispered, "Draco let me have my dignity... I don't want to beg on my knees, but I will if I must."

"No you won't, mum," Shane growled, "I won't let you grovel."

I slapped him on the arm, mentally telling him to shut up.

"My you have become the man of the house, hmm Shane?" Draco chuckled, amusement riddled on his face.

"More of a man then you are, _Sir_," Shane replied. I rolled my eyes.

Kevin nudged him, "Shut up, you git."

"Enough."

My mother's voice cut though the room like a sharp blade, and the three of us fell silent.

"How long will you be gone?" Draco inquired, looking back to mum. She shrugged, "I'll return when it's safe me for to live peacefully."

Lucius looked over us, "They may stay in my home, as long as they stay in line. One step wrong, and I'll let the Dark Lord deal with them."

We all cringed at his name, and a tear slid down my mother's cheek.

"Thank you, Lucius, you have no idea how much this means to me..." she rambled, "I'll have their things sent tomorrow..."

She hurried back to us and gave each of us a hug and a kiss, "Be good... Please be good for me."

All three of us nodded our heads and she hurried out the front door, without so much as a backwards look.

I knew she hurt.

* * *

An awkward silence settled between us and them. I cleared my throat, bringing my dad back to reality.

"You guys... hungry?" he asked.

Shane glared at him and I sighed, "We kinda ate before we left home... But we'll eat."

"Well don't just stand there and stare," Lucius... Granddad growled. He stepped to the side with Draco, "Get in and sit down."

We were guessing he was pointing into some kind of dining area. We started walking, but Lucius shut his eyes and sighed, "Shoes _off_ and leave your bags there."

We all quickly yanked off our shoes and piled them in the corner. They all looked the same... black with graffiti designs, but they were just different sizes.

"Grandfather's scary," Annie whispered in my ear when I pulled off her small shoes and threw them into our pile of black. We always looked different then Annie. She loved being in anything blue, while the rest of us were in multi-colours.

We walked over in a clump, but filed into the room in a line. Shane led us in, while I held a firm grip on Kevin's shoulders, while he held Annie's hand.

Dad was looking us all over when we walked past, but I doubt any of us made eye contact.

We walked into a gorgeous room, decorated in deep reds and golds, with a long table in the center. Seated was a rather attractive, yet aged, blonde woman, whom

I'm guessing was Lucius's wife.

She spotted us and nearly dropped her fork.

"What... Lucius what's going on... Wait... Shane?"

She looked my brother over and a smile moved swiftly across her face. She stood up, with hurry, and moved over to my brother.

"Oh a grandmother knows her grandchildren!" she exclaimed at our shocked faces.

"Narcissa," Lucius said smoothly. "Sit back down... All of us need to have a little chat."

I knew, however, this was not going to be a chat. It was most likely us listening to what HE had to say.

Shane settled down a seat away from Lucius, and I sat beside him, Kevin beside me. Annie went to sit in a different chair, but I picked her up and set her on my lap, knowing she would probably knock something over or play with the knives if she sat alone.

Draco stood watching us, not looking pleased.

"Even though you are my son's children," Lucius stated, his tone with utter disliking. "You will respect me and my wife in our home. We will either send you to school, or hire a tutor for the upcoming year."

Kevin groaned loudly beside me. Joy.

I think if I did go back to school, I would be the only person in Gryffindor. With Voldemort as the Headmaster, only the Slytherins were keen on going back.

Shane raised his eyebrows quickly to show he had heard his Grandfather speak, but said nothing.

"Well let's not sit in brewing silence," Narcissa sighed. "Kille, get the children some plates and some dinner... They look underfed."

We didn't look like we had been spoiled, but I wouldn't go far enough to call us underfed.

The small House Elf returned with three plates, each with some mashed potatoes, chicken, and some peas.

I smiled and eager accepted the plate of steaming food.

"Right, out with it," Narcissa growled slightly, her eyes narrowing at Kevin.

His own eye widened and he spit his gum out into his napkin, "Sorry."

I snorted, but was thankful the little rat put it in a napkin, and not my hair.

"Now I want to know all about the three of you," Narcissa... Grandmother gushed. Grandfather and Dad looked quite annoyed that she was being friendly to us, but I think if she wasn't Shane would lose it at someone.

Being the boys they were, neither of my brothers wanted to talk, so I went first.

"My name's Eloise," I stated, "These gits call me Loo."

Kevin smirked and chuckled softly, "Loo... Ha!"

"I'm fifteen, and I'll be sixteen in December," I said, rattling off the general information, "I was in Gryffindor at Hogwarts and advanced by a year."

"Smart little thing," Narcissa mused. "Like your mother. Right, and what about you, lovely?"

Annie took a deep breath, something she did when she would try and remember something important, "I'm ... five! And I'll be six in..."

She looked at me and I answered for her, "She'll be six in April."

"She's adorable," Narcissa cooed, smiling at Annie, who grinned, making her pudgy cheeks fatten just a little more. Narcissa glanced over at the boys, "Right, you two."

Shane and Kevin looked at each other, but said nothing.

"Stop being a prat and answer," I hissed, elbowing Shane.

"Fine," he sighed, "I'm sixteen, I'll be seventeen in July. I was in Slytherin at school, but I spent two years studying at the Salem Academy for Boys."

"And he's called Shane," I added, shooting him a coy look.

"And I'm Kevin!" Kevin said loudly, "I'm thirteen, and I was in Slytherin. Umm..."

"Never say _Um_, love," Grandmother interrupted, "It isn't polite."

I quite liked Grandma Narcissa. She seemed generally interested in us, while Lucius and Draco were more interested in the conversation they had going quietly with each other.

"What about you?" Shane said suddenly, looking at Draco, "Care to enlighten your children of your life."

"Yes, I think you may as well know," Dad said, a smirk on his lips, "I was a Slytherin, and now a personal servant of Lord Voldemort. When I'm not doing what he wishes, I work at the Ministry... We're currently perfecting it to our own liking."

"Daddy works for the bad man," Annie whispered. I glared down at her and hissed to be quiet. Shane's hands balled into fists.

Our father was very arrogant, no doubts there.

"And you?" Shane muttered, glaring at Lucius.

"Listen boy," Lucius said calmly, leaning in a little. "Call me _You_ again, and you'll regret it. I have no problems in helping you see things my way. My favourite curse is the Cruciatus Curse-"

"Father."

Lucius shot his son an amused sort of look and went back to Shane, "So listen well. You will address me as Sir, and your father will not be called _You_. You will address him as Father or Dad... If worse comes to worse."

Worse comes to worse? I am never calling Dad Father, it just sounds too... formal. I'm not all huffy puffy, nor am I stuck up, so I'll call him dad.

Maybe daddy if I want something.

"Yes, sir," Shane grumbled, "I'm sorry if I offended you in any way..."

"I suppose I can accept that," Lucius chuckled, "Or I would show you your place in this house."

"Father I think that would be my job," Dad piped up, "Since he is _my _son."

"In my house."

I really wanted to laugh at the fact that my dad still lived with his parents. But... I don't think I would want to leave here either.

"Well," Grandma sighed, "I think we should talk about this tomorrow when everyone is a little more rested."

"Where are we sleeping?" I asked politely.

"I'm sure we have enough room in this house," Dad stated, "I'll take you upstairs and you can pick a room from the second floor."

The second floor? You'd think this mansion only had two floors, but as the three of us followed our new dad up the stairs, I looked up to see the staircase wound up and up several more floors above ours.

"Well... Go... pick your rooms then," Dad muttered, motioning down the hallway. Shane and Kevin grabbed their bags, trying to see who would get the better room. I had a feeling Kevin would fight for the biggest room, since Shane usually got the better pick since he was the oldest.

"You ever been a dad before?" I asked, picking up my bag and putting in over my shoulder. He looked at me, then shook his head, stuffing his hands in his pockets,

"Frankly... No."

"When was the last time you dealt with people our age?"

"When I was in school?"

"Good luck," I chuckled. Annie giggled beside me and dragged her bag along the floor, looking in each room carefully as she passed.

"HA! I found the bigger one _first_! Sod off, Shane!"

Kevin's loud voice could always be heard from wherever he was, which was why we never really lost him.

"Well I have more crap then you do... So it's mine... Out!"

Dad and I watched Kevin stumble out of Shane's new room, a sour expression on his face.

"Go bug Loo... She'll be looking for the next biggest room!"

He always pinned something on me.

"Loo, I want a big room!"

"Stop whining, you stupid prat," I groaned, tromping down the hall towards him, "You can have a bigger room then me, ok?"

"Score..."

I glanced into the floor length mirror at the end of the hall and saw Dad was slowly walking down the stairs, his hand on his head.

* * *

Draco stumbled down the stairs, still in shock.

His whole body was slowly slipping into panic mode. His throat was getting all hot and itchy, and his hands were cold and clammy.

"Draco, darling, I'm so thrilled they've finally come to visit!" his mother gushed.

Draco felt a guilty stab in his heart strings when she said that. His mother used to beg him to tell him where his children were, since it was so hard for a Grandmother to never see her own Grandchildren.

It had been far too hard refusing her all these years, and the look in her eyes when he said "No" was bad enough punishment.

"They're living with us, Narcissa," his father grumbled as he sipped a bit of wine, "Living...as in... More people eating up my money."

Draco shot his father a glare. Since when had Lucius Malfoy ever worked for his money? Draco was the one out there bringing in the money every day from his job at the Ministry.

Not that there would ever be a deficiency in the money; Voldemort kept his supporters well fed and looked after.

"What were they're names again?"

"Oh honestly, Lucius," his mother snapped, "Eloise was named after my aunt! I'd hope you'd be able to remember that!"

"And Shane was named after your uncle, Father," Draco chuckled, "but Kevin... That was all their mother's work."

Draco suddenly found himself missing his wife. She and he never worked well together though. They used to bicker over politics and such, almost to the extent in which Draco threatened divorce.

His father wouldn't hear of divorce, and simply told his son that leaving the woman would be easier.

How she raised four fine looking children was beyond Draco's comprehension.

Of course they would look good, with Draco's dashing good looks, and Joyce's beauty, the children were a marvel.

"I suppose with a bit of reeducating they should be perfect," Draco said coolly, "Father, if you want you can mold them to your liking."

"I'm not letting you off that easily," his father growled, glaring at him, "They are YOUR little brats... But I will help with their education, and I shall ask from other friends for their input... But enough of it tonight. I still can't believe we're stuck with your kids... I thought I was done looking after children."

* * *

I climbed back up the stairs silently and tip toed down the hall, sneaking back into Shane's room.

I liked mine the best, even though it was the smallest. I had a little white balcony with roses growing on the railing, and large windows covering the walls. There was a bed in the room already, a double bed, with an en-suite bathroom, a wardrobe, and a desk.

But that was nothing to brag about, since every room I had looked in had the similar furniture.

"They were talking about reeducating us," I muttered, climbing onto Shane's bed. Annie crawled into my lap, her blue pajamas on, a thumb in her mouth. She would doze off soon, so I let her lean her head against my chest.

"Reeducating us... How?" Kevin asked, his eyes widening in horror. My brother had always had a rather active imagination, and I'm sure at that moment he thought we were going to be brainwashed or something.

"I have a feeling they'll try and get us out with Voldemort," Shane said. I winced at his name and Kevin cleared his throat nervously.

"Oh grow up," Shane growled, "I'm sure you can handle it... It's just a _name _for Pete's sake."

I knew Shane secretly feared Voldemort, but I also knew he always had to look big around us, since he was the elder after all.

"No matter what..." Shane sighed, "Stick to everything mum told us... We aren't Voldemort's cronies, and we never will be. They can try to change us all they want... But we're still us."

"Thanks for the lecture, mum," Kevin laughed. Shane grabbed a pillow and slammed it into his brother's head.

They were always at it, the pair of them. If they weren't scheming to get me, they would try and kill each other.

"Are either of you tired?" I asked suddenly, looking down at my watch. It was almost ten thirty, which made me kinda wonder why my other new family members were eating.

"Not really..." Kevin muttered, and he rummaged into his pocket, retrieved a deck of cards and dumped them out on the bed.

"Poker anyone?"

After a while of playing, I noticed what Kevin had done. He had given us a distraction from the pain of losing mum. Shane always kept his emotions bottled up, and we knew we had to use subtle ways to make him forget how angry, or hurt, or shocked he was.

"Where's mummy?"

The three of us looked at Annie, who had woken up from her small nap.

"Mummy... uh..." I looked at my brothers, who were both staring down at their cards. I sighed, "Mummy just went away for a while... We're going to stay with daddy though."

"Why?"

"Because we're too young to live alone," I stated, "We need him..."

My brothers and I looked up at each other. No matter how hard we tried not to believe it... We knew it was true.

We needed him.


	2. Learning One's Place

My eyelids hardly wanted to open when I told them too, but after ten minutes of snoozing in bed I managed to get up. Annie had come in last night around midnight and wanted to talk about anything under the sun, and naturally I had to answer.

She's always been one to ask questions, both appropriate and inappropriate, and it gets really annoying after a while. But, Kevin was like that when he was younger, except neither Shane nor I knew really how to answer the questions, since we weren't much older then he was.

I glanced down at the spot in which Annie had fallen asleep in the night before, and noted it was now empty. I groaned loudly and rolled out of bed, stumbling to my feet.

I slipped on my silky pajama pants as I walked over to the mirror, and readjusted my silky black matching tank top before opening the door.

The manor in which I was now calling home looked a lot different during the day. It seemed more suited for night, since the colours were rich and dark.

I have a feeling they have a ton of dinner parties... Snooty ones with Pureblood obsessed wizards.

I walked along the hallways, smiling at the softness. When I got closer to the staircase, I stopped dead in my tracks. Mum was standing by the door, her eyes staring at the floor, talking with Dad and Lucius.

Dunno if I really want to call him Grandfather yet.

Lucius'll do.

I backed against the wall and slid down, catching brief snatches of the conversation.

"I don't know how I can thank you for doing this," Mum muttered, "I feel horrible for leaving four children with you... But Shane will be almost of age, and he can move out, when he does he'll probably take Annie, then all you need to do is wait for Eloise and Kevin to come of age and they-"

"I don't intend on sending my children away _just_ because they come of age," Dad said sharply, making me and Mum flinch. I could already tell he was one of those dad's who would make you cry when they yell.

"I also make no intention on sending my youngest granddaughter to live with her brother," Lucius stated. "The boys are free to leave whenever they wish, but my granddaughters will stay until I believe they are fit to leave."

Mum opened her mouth to say something, but she closed it again, gulping, "Of course."

"Narcissa seems insistent they stay until they're Draco's age," Lucius continued, casting Draco an annoyed stare, "but I will have them out when they're ready."

Dad looked quite irritated with his father, but he stayed silent when he spoke.

Mum inhaled slowly, "Thank you."

Lucius nodded his head and left, sauntering into the kitchen, where I guessed the rest of my family was.

"I'll write you," Dad whispered, moving a little closer to Mum. "As often as I can..."

"I'll miss them so much," mum cried softly, brushing away some tears. "Look after my- our babies, Draco."

He leaned down and I wrinkled my nose in disgust as he placed a soft kiss on her lips, which she eagerly responded to.

I waited for what seemed like an eternity for the door to shut and Dad to be standing alone again. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed, then wandered back towards the door to the dining area where Lucius had gone into.

She came back...

But...

She didn't say hello or anything. I supposed it would have been hard enough for her, and I left it at that.

I sat on the banister and slid down, something I had always wanted to do on a winding staircase, and found it wasn't as much fun as I had hoped.

After the small disappointment had vanished, I strolled over to the dining hall, catching sight of everyone at the table.

Of course, my brothers were in their typical baggy t-shirts and shorts, while Annie was in her long, blue night robe.

"Good morning, Eloise dear," Grandmother greeted. "Sit and eat... You look well rested."

"I wouldn't call that thing well rested," Kevin sniggered, grabbing a slice of watermelon from the plate, "I'd call that disturbing first thing in the morning."

Annie giggled and I glared at him, "Bite me, Kevin."

"No can do, would ruin the taste in my mouth."

"Enough."

Kevin and I looked at Lucius, who had a shut-up-if-you-know-what's-good-for- you type of sneer on.

"I will not have any of you address each other like that in the presence of adults, understood?" he said firmly, "It is disrespectful to anyone listening and to each other, now sit, Eloise, and eat."

I quickly shuffled into a seat beside Shane and began piling some eggs onto my plate. I gazed around the table in awe. My siblings and I were used to cereal in the morning, and that was it.

This must have been a feast for Annie.

I glanced over at her and noticed she was eating the seeds from the watermelon, again. She had a thing for eating the seeds from everything; apples, oranges, watermelons... They always made her sick, and Mum scolded her so many times about eating them that I've lost count.

"Don't eat the seeds, Annie," I said curtly, "Mum told you they make you sick."

"Mummy isn't here though," Annie protested, "And they don't make me sick."

"Yes they do."

"No."

I groaned, "Yes they do, don't argue."

"But they don't..."

I noticed both dad and Lucius open their mouths to tell us off for arguing, so I ended it quickly.

"If you eat one more seed, I'll bewitch it and you'll grow a watermelon in your stomach," I threatened. Her jaw dropped and the seed she had been holding slipped from her hand. Kevin snorted and Shane looked at me, smirking.

"You don't know how to bewitch a seed," Annie snapped suddenly, picking it up again.

"How do you know?" I inquired, trying to suppress the urge to laugh, "If I don't do it, Shane will... He knows more then I do."

That, of course, was no true. Being advanced in my classes at school meant I shared classes with Shane, which meant I knew above and beyond his knowledge of spells and such.

But Annie always looks at Shane as the big one in the family, and it would crush her if she knew Shane wasn't as smart as he let on.

"Shane doesn't-"

"Just. Don't. Eat. The. Seeds." Kevin moaned, staring hard at her. She scowled at all of us and I could have sworn Grandmother smiled briefly, but stopped when Lucius shot her a look.

"I need to get to work," Dad muttered angrily, looking down at his watch, "I'll be back at four or five this evening, then the four of us need to talk."

Shane stared at the table and Kevin and I nodded our heads, murmuring soft good byes.

"Where're you going, daddy," Annie said suddenly, hopping off her chair.

"To work," he replied, looking a little uneasy with being called 'Daddy'.

"I'll walk you," she giggled, walking past Kevin, Grandmother and Lucius to Draco, then gripped his hand. He stare down at her blankly, completely confused.

"She... uh... used to walk Mum to the door," Kevin explained. "So I guess she just wants to walk you to the doorway."

"Oh," Dad said softly, looking a little shocked, "A-All right then."

Annie grinned cheerfully and pulled him towards the door, telling him that neither Shane nor I knew the spell to bewitch seeds and he shouldn't worry about a watermelon brewing in her stomach. I couldn't help but giggle to myself.

* * *

"Where do you work Daddy?"

Draco looked down at the bouncy five year old who had followed him out of the dining area, hand in hand, to the main entrance.

"I... I work for the Ministry-"

"Like Mummy?"

Draco gulped, "A little... Mummy was doing something different then I am. I-"

"Work for tha bad man," Annie said finally.

Draco's expression hardened, "I won't have you call him that, Annie."

Draco instantly scolded himself, for her large eyes were starting to water up.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "Listen... Do you have any... uh... names you want me to call you?"

"Mummy called me lots!" she said happily, "Pumpkin, Sweetheart, Princess, Baby, Blue... I like Pumpkin the best."

"Then... um..." Draco felt himself fumbling over his words and instantly stupidity took over himself, "Do you want me to call you Pumpkin?"

"Yes, please!"

"Then I'll see you this afternoon... Pumpkin," Draco said slowly, leaning down hesitantly planting a kiss on the top of her head.

"Bye, Daddy," she giggled, "Have fun at work!"

* * *

"Hey Loo?" Kevin asked, looking up at me from across the table, "Aren't you allergic to strawberries?"

I looked down at my hand and found I had grabbed a strawberry out of pure delicious temptation.

"Yeah..." I muttered, setting the piece of fruit down gently on the table, "Forgot."

"Dumbass," Shane chuckled.

Lucius' eyes widened down at the end of the table, and I even saw Shane wince as Lucius set his coffee cup down gently.

"Repeat that again, boy, in the presence of your sister or your grandmother and I'll take you to my study," Lucius' eye twitched. "And practice my favourite curse on you... Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Language like _that _will never be tolerated in a Malfoy household," Lucius snarled.

Shane glared out of the corner of his eye, "Yes _sir_."

"Lose the tone, now."

"Sorry, sir."

Kevin opened his mouth to laugh. but Lucius shot a glare over at him and he stuffed a piece of fruit into his wide open trap instead.

I had never seen anyone shut Shane up like that, save Mum. She just had to look at him and he would behave. But never once, at school or in public, had Shane been knocked down by an older man.

"Now," Lucius sighed, "I'll let it slide this morning, but tomorrow I want to see everyone _properly_ dressed... None of this coming down half dressed garbage."

I slowly moved my hand down to the base of my tank top and pulled it down so it covered my entire stomach, flushing slightly.

Annie wandered back into the dining hall slowly, a cheeky little grin on her face.

"What're you so happy about?" Kevin demanded. She walked over to Grandmother and was instantly lifted up onto her lap. Lucius rolled his eyes and snatched the paper away from the House Elf standing beside him.

"Daddy called me Pumpkin," Annie said proudly, playing with a long, loose strand of hair that had fallen from Grandmother's bun, "and he gave me a kiss right here."

She pointed to her forehead, still grinning broadly.

Lucius chuckled behind his newspaper, and I wasn't quite sure if he was laughing at Annie, or an amusing article. Grandmother cooed over Annie like she was one of her own children, but I suppose all grandmothers do that one time or another. Lucius folded down the front of his newspaper, looking at his watch, then to us, "It's late enough... Get dressed. Eloise, Kevin, Shane, I'm taking you out today."

"To where?" I asked before I could stop myself. He looked down at me, "We're going to buy your school books for this year."

"I won't let you send her to school," Shane said fiercely, "She's a Gryffindor... They'll kill 'er before the end of first quarter."

"Get up, Shane," Lucius ordered.

Shane looked at me and rose, a defiant glare on his face, "Sir?"

"I think we need to have a little... chat in the study, come."

"Lucius-"

"Hush Narcissa," he chuckled. "Let me do this. Come along, Shane."

It was almost frightening how Lucius' voice had gone from intimidating to eerily calm in a matter of moment. He walked towards the door, his cloak swishing lightly behind him. Shane stood up and shoved in his chair, then hurried off after Lucius.

* * *

Shane was almost jogging to keep up with his grandfather, but he did his best not to show he was lingering behind.

Lucius stopped in front a large wooden door, then pushed it open, "In, now."

Shane cleared his throat, "Ladies first, I insist."

Lucius smirked and lunged out at him, gripping him painfully by the scruff of his neck and tossing him inside with ease.

Shane stumbled for a few feet in the darkness, then groaned in pain when his knee slammed into a chair. The door slammed behind him and he heard Lucius mutter something as torch lights flickered on.

"Being the eldest of your siblings," Lucius began, "I know you have that Malfoy urge to be the dominate male of this family, however, it will not pass while you are in _this_ manor, understood?"

"This manor is a jail for us then," Shane spat, "You want to change us, make us better... So Merlin help me, Lucius Malfoy-"

"_Crucio_..."

Pain beyond pain coursed through every ounce of flesh on Shane's body, and a scream barely managed to stay in his throat as he fell to the ground.

"You will address me as Sir or Grandfather, clear?" Lucius growled, slipping his wand back under his cloak, "Now please... Continue."

Shane's hand slid up and grasped a nearby chair, then hauled himself to his feet, "You are a monster... Using an Unforgivable-"

"I am not a monster," Lucius said, laughing loudly, "You've just never been properly reprimanded."

His breathing had returned to normal, even though there were small twinges of pain in his arms and legs. What Lucius had said was true, though Shane felt guitly to admit it. His mother had never once raised her wand to him, never.

"Are you going to torture all of us when we don't go by your rules?" he spat, glaring at Lucius, who merely shrugged.

"You and your brother will be your father's responsibility when he learns how to handle you... But until then... I'll be dealing with you."

Shane shivered, "And Annie and Eloise...?"

"They are the job of my darling wife, and your grandmother," Lucius replied, smirking. "It wouldn't be right for me, a man, to chastise any girl... Unless ordered to."

"Why?"

"Why _what_?"

"Why..." Shane sighed, and continued through gritted teeth, "Wouldn't it be right for you to punish my sisters, _sir_?"

Lucius rolled his eyes, "Clearly your mother had yet to teach you moral and society values... But that is so typical of a woman like her-"

Shane would have no one talk about his mother in such a way, and he lunged at Lucius, since he did not carry his wand everywhere, and found he had no other way to hurt his Grandfather.

"_Cruico._"

Groaning, Shane was back on the floor, clutching his aching body.

"You were in Slytherin..." Lucius mused, "Normally when they are _whipped _once they end their stupid quarrels... Perhaps some Gryffindor blood flows through your veins. Persistence..."

He snorted.

Shane used the same chair from before to steady himself, and glared up at his Grandfather. Lucius smiled a rather dashing smile and folded his arms across his chest, his wand hanging limply in one hand, "Have you had enough for one day?"

"Yes..."

"Yes _what_?"

"Yes _sir_... I've had enough for today."

"I'm sure you'll be just as difficult tomorrow," Lucius chuckled, pocketing his wand, "but I will deal with you when the time comes.. Or perhaps I shall let your father try his hand with you."

"I'd love to see him try," Shane muttered, massaging his arm, trying to get some blood flow back into his arm.

"Well get out and dressed, boy," Lucius ordered, "and make sure Eloise and Kevin are ready... I want to leave for Diagon Alley as soon as we can."

"Are you sending us to school this year... sir?" Shane inquired.

"Perhaps," Lucius pondered, his eyes clouding slightly as he went into thought, "I think I may hire an old friend to tutor you all... Since your father is far too busy at the Ministry for nonsense like school."

Shane smirked; Lucius agreed with him, school was nonsense.

"Ahh, the Malfoy smirk," Lucius laughed, raising an eyebrow. "I'll see if all of you have it... Now, out."

Shane watched Lucius draw his wand out again and he ripped open the door, hurrying down to the second floor. He had followed Lucius all the way to the fourth floor, and nearly found himself tripping down the stairs as he ran down clumsily.

Of course, he had a feeling his new Grandfather could do much worse to him then TWO Crucios, but he wasn't ready to take his chance, right now anyways. He would be a smart mouth around Annie or Eloise, since he now knew Lucius would find it disrespectful to do anything in front of his granddaughters.

Even though he tried to stay with the emotion of hate, Shane found he had a hint of admiration for his Grandfather. Only a hint. Why he felt that way, was completely beyond all reasoning. He would respect his Grandfather just enough to get by...

"Shane, darling you're limping."

Shane looked up and saw his grandmother walking up the stairs, Annie resting on her hip.

"Lu- Grandfather used a Crucio on me," Shane confessed, looking at the floor. Immediately Annie was set down and his grandmother had her wand out, checking to make sure everything was all right with her new beloved grandson.

"I'm all right, Grandmother," he said politely, gently removing her hands from his shoulders, "but I need to go change or he'll get me again for not being quick enough."

"Take Annie with you," she sighed, "I need a word with your Grandfather."

* * *

Narcissa walked the long steps up to the fourth floor, where she knew her husband would be. It was no longer fit to call that room a study, since the only time Lucius used it in the past would have been to reprimand Draco, and now Shane, and soon Kevin when he slipped up. Narcissa supposed Lucius enjoyed the frightening effect the cramped, dark room had on the youngsters, but she never approved of his little "chats".

She knocked on the door tentatively, "Lucius?"

"Come in, love."

"I just talked to Shane..." Narcissa stated, stepping into the room and shutting the door softly behind her, "A Crucio? Lucius! You know I have never approved of that as a method of-"

"It'll make him learn his place in this household," Lucius stated, taking a seat on the edge of his desk, "Men have this thing called Pride, my darling, and I need to soften Shane's up so his father can break it later."

Narcissa frowned, "But... Lucius I don't want him to hate us."

"He won't," Lucius laughed, beckoning for his wife to come closer to him. She sighed loudly and slowly walked towards him, leaning on one of his dangling legs as he wrapped a firm arm around her hips.

"He's just like Draco was, I can tell already," Lucius explained, "It'll take some time, my love, but he will come around. He's just stubborn because he's the oldest. Eloise will be just as tricky... Kevin will be easier, and Annie will be like putty, understood?"

Narcissa nodded her head and planted a small peck on his cheek, "I hope you're right."

"I know I am."

A soft knock was heard on the other side of the door, and it was pushed open ever so slightly, "Grandmother?"

Lucius scowled slightly when Narcissa answered, "Yes, Sweetheart?"

Annie pushed the door open and Narcissa moved off Lucius' lap, smiling at the young girl, "I thought I told you to change."

"I know," Annie agreed, shrugging her shoulders, "I wanted to see where you went. Shane said Grandfather was up here too..."

"Hello, Annie," Lucius greeted formally, sliding off his desk. "What can I do for you?"

She grinned cheekily when he stood up, then shot him an innocent stare, "Nothing at all Grandfather... No need to get up..."

Narcissa smiled, "Go change, Annie, and I'll take you for a walk around the Manor... We can go feed the ducks in the lake too if you want."

The small girl let out an excited squeal and quickly excited the room.

"She gave me a look," Lucius said slowly, pointing at the door.

Narcissa smiled, "Girls have an ability to wrap men around their little fingers... Consider yourself wrapped."

She gave her confused husband another swift kiss on the cheek and left after Annie, leaving Lucius to feel his cheek where her lips once were.

* * *

"LOO! STOP REAPPLYING YOUR FACE... GRANDDAD SAID MOVE IT!"

"SHOVE OFF, KEVIN!" I shouted back to my brother, who was currently pounding on my bedroom door as I delicately put on some mascara.

"Do you need to wear make-up _every _time you go out?" he demanded, giving one final pound. I rolled my eyes and readjusted my green skirt and threw a black jacket over the black halter-top I had found in the bottom of my bag. Grandmother told us that boxes would appear in our rooms throughout the day, which meant mum was sending us our things.

"I'm coming already... Jeez!" I growled, pulling door open and hurrying down the stairs.

The moment I reached the last step, Lucius took one look at me and frowned, "Skirt's too short... Too much make-up and find a shirt that covers your stomach."

Figures.

The one day I actually decide to wear a skirt (I'm a wee bit of a Tom Boy) I get sent back to change.

Rolling my eyes, I rushed back upstairs, skipping three at a time, which was pretty easy since these steps were not as steep as the ones at home.

After rummaging for a pair of extremely old jeans, I pulled them on and ran back downstairs, a little out of breath when I finally stopped running and waited beside Shane.

Lucius looked down at the small rips on the bottom of my jeans and tsked.

"We'll be spending a short amount of time getting your books, since I need to go to Gringotts for a few things," Lucius explained, "and then I shall have to drop in at my office in the ministry to collect some paperwork."

"You work at the ministry too, sir?" Shane inquired.

Kevin snorted softly to himself. Never had Shane been so polite... But I had a feeling that his little 'chat' with Lucius after breakfast made him think twice about many things.

"I'm supposed to be retired," Lucius muttered, "but they still keep asking me to come in here and there, I may as well keep my job."

We all nodded our heads and he pulled out a coin, stating it was a Portkey, and we could only use it when he was around.

"Have fun today," Grandmother said from the top of the stairs, Annie dressed in a blue suit beside her, smiling.

I tried not to envy her, since she really couldn't do anything else but stay home. I wished I got to walk around all afternoon and feed the ducks.

Ever since Voldemort took over, Diagon Alley turned into Knockturn Alley, just on a Grand scale. There were no poor wizards like before; everyone who roamed around with arrogance was either a Death Eater, or somehow related, but all the shops were filled with Dark Arts supplies, and I hated walking through them.

Gave me shivers.

Lucius held the coin in the palm of his hand, and all three of us placed a dainty finger around the edges, then were instantly sucked into a portal.

I always hated traveling in the wizarding world... You always felt like something was completely compressing you until all the air had left your lungs. I often wondered who came up with such ideas, like using a Portkey or Apparating.

Someone who had a little too much time on their hands I guess.

When the world ceased spinning, I held onto Shane's shoulder to make sure I didn't topple into someone as Lucius led us swiftly out of the alley into which we had come out into.

None of us said anything when we entered the street, but I found myself keeping Kevin close, while still standing by Shane, who kept a bit of a distance from Lucius.

"You realize... Everyone around here who is our age is from Slytherin," Kevin muttered. "Not a Gryffindor, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff in sight..."

I looked around, nodding my head, "I feel kinda... albino."

Shane smirked as we entered the book shop, Lucius holding the door open for us.

He quickly growled for us to find our books from our year and then come back to find so he could pay for them.

Shane wandered off to the left, and Kevin followed, sliding his finger along the backs of some books.

"Well..." Lucius said, prodding my back with a cane I had only just noticed him carrying, "Aren't you going with your brothers?"

"Me..." I laughed, "Follow them into some far corner alone?... I've had one too many bad things happen to me around them... I'll go this way..."

Too many times have I been pelted with dung bombs, sprayed with freezing water, flung into dirt and hit with spells to be trusting my brothers... Even if we were in a book shop...

I rolled my eyes, murmuring, "Boys." as I walked away from Lucius, who had an amused smirk on his lips.


	3. Respect

**DISCLAIMER THAT NONE OF THE BOOK CHARACTERS ARE MINE.**

I walked along the bookshelves, grunting a bit under the weight of the four textbooks I had picked up; Potions, Herbology, Charms and History of Magic.  
Lucius figured it would be best if we all just brought our books to the register and he would wait there for us to pay. I found it quite generous that he was willing to pay for all these books, but I still don't like him.

"These stupid things are made of lead," Kevin grumbled, lugging up a pile of six books onto the counter.

Lucius smirked and poked him on the back with his cane as he walked away, "It builds character, boy... Now hurry up."

I smirked as Kevin stalked off, rubbing his shoulder and muttering something under his breath. My eyes suddenly fell on a lovely leather-bound notebook on one of the tables, and after depositing my textbooks, I wandered over, smirking.

I have a thing for notebooks. Whenever I see them for sale, million of ideas and uses for them flood my brain.

Let's just say I have a million unused notebooks sitting on my shelf.

I suddenly felt a body press up into mine, and nearly jumped a foot when an arm moved down mine, then stopped, leaning on the table.

"Hello, my sweet."

I rolled my eyes, well knowing who the voice belonged to, Darius Zabini.

I groaned, not in the mood to deal with the overbearing, arrogant, perverted Slytherin that day. Because both of my brothers were in Slytherin, I had been accepted, somewhat, to go to events, such as Hogsmeade trips, with them, and occasionally sit with them during meals. I had my own friends, but sometimes I just wanted to hang around Shane and Kevin, no matter how annoying they could get.

Darius was the same age a Shane, but he was my height, making him about a head shorter than him, so... my height. He had grey eyes, which he called blue sometimes, and had a messy mop of black hair on his perfectly proportional shaped head. His mother, Pansy Parkinson, aka Mrs. Zabini, had passed on a pug nosed trait, which did throw off his features slightly.

"Get. Off. Me." I hissed, slamming my heel onto the front of his shoe. His hand clenched on the table, but he wouldn't move.

"That didn't hurt," he muttered. I slowly turned around and my head moved back slightly. He was so close I had a feeling his face had literally been burried in my hair a moment ago.

"Shove off, Zabini," I snapped, "I'm not in the mood to deal with you today."

"Aww whatsa matter, babe?" he inquired, his foot sliding forward between my feet, pushing my legs apart slightly. "Something I can help with?"

"You can get away from my legs, first off," I growled. "Unless you want a bloody lip..."

"You wouldn't hit me," he chuckled, winking, "I'm too cute."

I felt the huge notion to vomit.

"Cute isn't quite the word I would use to describe you," I snorted. "More like vile... disgusting... piggish... I can go on..."

"Sticks and stones," he sniggered, his hand moving to my hip. "You know you want me."

I wrinkled my nose in pure loathing, but before I could answer, Shane cut me off.

"Get your fucking hand off my sister, Zabini," he growled, slamming his books down beside Lucius, who looked most annoyed with my brothers choice of language, but clearly decided to stay quiet and watch what would happen.

"School books, really Shane?" Darius chuckled, "Sure your brain can handle another year's worth of grueling note taking? Or are you just coming to play Quidditch."

I had to admit, my brother was amazing at Quidditch. While his grades were incredibly poor, his flying statistics were amazing.

"Don't screw with me right now," Shane snapped, "Get the fuck off my sister... Now."

"I really don't think you should be giving orders," Darius laughed, "Because as society stands... My family is higher ranking then your ministry loving one. While we are proud Death Eaters, you family sits in the dirt of your pathetic-"

Before he could finish his statement, I had gripped his shoulder and roughly dragged my knee up into his groin, making him inhale painfully. His hand slid from my hip to my butt as he doubled over, breathing slowly and groaning a bit.

"Don't you ever think you can insult my family," I hissed. "Talking so stupidly... Like yours is better than mine... We're all wizards, you stupid gi-"

"Your family is ministry-loyal," Darius hissed, "My father-"

"Should stop telling you lies," Lucius said suddenly, making all three of us jump.

Darius stood up quickly, his cheeks going a little pink, "Mr. Malfoy... Sir. I-I didn't see you there, or I would have been more polite with my greeting."

I marveled at how formal Darius was being towards Lucius. My new grandfather smirked, a hint of pride in his eyes. Clearly that was how he wanted Shane to act, all polite...

"But if you would be ever so kind as to take your hand off my granddaughter's behind," he said sharply, pointing at his hand on my butt with his cane, "and step away..."

"She's... She's your granddaughter?" Darius stuttered, instantly backing away, "Sir... Sir I'm so sorry... I never knew there was any... relation."

"Apologize to her, not him," Shane snapped, "You were feeling _her _up, not him!"

"He's perfectly right for apologizing to me," Lucius stated, his eyes drifting over Kevin, who had stumbled out with another load of books. "Since she is only a girl, after all."

Darius smirked and I felt my blood rise. Only a girl? It made me sound like a thing, not a person. I would have argued back, but another group of people walked into the store, all looking quite content to be inside, since I had only just noticed it was beginning to rain.

"I'll be on my way then," Darius said smartly, nodding his head to Lucius, "Sorry again, sir."

"Say hello to your father for me," Lucius muttered, brushing him off as he darted out of the store, a look of relief on his pig like face. Lucius turned back to the worker and began counting out the rather expensive purchase he was making for us, then had the books magically shipped back to the Manor.

"What did I miss?" Kevin whispered as the three of us followed Lucius outside, walking under the tarps to keep our heads dry from the pouring rain.

"Zabini groped Loo," Shane said quietly, summarizing the event, "and backed off when Lucius told him to... Coward... Scared of some old dude..."

Shane was probably just as scared of our Grandfather, but he would never let us know that... we "looked up to him".

"I'll make a note to punch his face in the next time I see him," Kevin muttered, punching his hand with his fist. I couldn't help but smile. My brothers picked on me to no end, but they were always there to stick up for me, which was what made me love my family, no matter what.

We followed Lucius into a large building with the word _Ministry_ written in large, gold letters at the side. Our older ministry used to be hidden away, but... now that the only real threat out there is ... nothing! The threat lies on anyone faithful to the old Ministry, and well ... Mudblood and Muggle lovers should watch their backs too.

"Morning Mr. Malfoy," a security guard said in a light tone, rising to greet him. "Anything to declare?"

"No, Davies, nothing out of the ordinary," Lucius sighed, rummaging in his pocket and pulling out an ID card. Davies, however, was looking the three of us over with mild interest.

"Grandchildren," Lucius muttered, putting the card away and waiting for Davies to clear us through one of the doors. It buzzed softly, then sprung open, letting us see into a large, marble room, with a massive fountain in the center.

Lucius walked swiftly and with purpose, only nodding to people who greeted him warmly. It was obvious he had a lot of people respecting him.

Either that or they were all frightened of him.

After leaving the huge room fountain room, we walked along several long corridors with many doors, all open, revealing offices. Lucius stopped at the last door and pushed it open, motioning for us to wait outside.

Shane rolled his eyes dramatically only after Lucius couldn't see us anymore, and I snorted.

"What?"

"You," I giggled. "You're such a wuss around him."

He glared at me, but suddenly looked rather disgusted. I followed his gaze to look at Kevin, who was prodding his eye.

"Kevin...?"

"My contacts feel weird," he muttered, pushing the piece of sight enhancing technology around over his eye. "I should have worn my glasses."

Kevin needed glasses from about age eight, and he still seems a little blind without them. There are, of course, many ways with magic we could use to fix his vision, but mum always insisted we never used magic to cure problems like that.

Or acne.

"Well stop poking it," I snapped, pulling his hand away from his face. "Just try to ignore it and whatever if bothering you will go away."

"I'm gonna take it out and clean it," he muttered, standing in front of a mirror and opening his left eye as wide as he could.

I looked away, grossed out beyond belief with my brother for deciding to clean his contacts in the Ministry of Magic.

"See!" he snapped, holding the little, clear piece up in my face, "There was some dust on it! I knew something was wrong..."

"Yeay," I muttered sarcastically, rolling my eyes as he pulled out his wand and casting a cleaning spell on it.

"That's so gross," Shane stated as Kevin widened his eye again, trying to not to look stupid while putting the contact back in.

"Shut up and lemme concentrate."

"Why would you take it out in the first place!"

"There was DUST on it!"

"So?"

"So it felt uncomfortable!"

"I'm sure you would have lived..."

"And have my eye all demented afterwards... I don't THINK so."

We all stopped our discussion when we finally noticed Lucius standing outside the door, watching Kevin with mild discontent.

After a brief moment of awkward silence, Kevin popped his contact back in and muttered, "There was dust on it... So... I wanted to clean it..."

"What, in Merlin's name," Lucius said slowly, "was that?"

I guessed wizards had never really seen contacts before, since they were a Muggle invention.

"It's a contact lens," Kevin explained, Lucius pursing his lips when there was no _Sir_ at the end of his statement, "and you put them on your eye instead of wearing glasses."

"Muggle?"

Shane nodded his head, "Yeah... Makes things easier when you play Quidditch though, especially in the rain, but only at times, sir."

Lucius stared at Kevin, his teeth grinding together slightly, "When we return to the Manor, I will not have you wearing anything Muggle on my property, excluding clothes."

I was glad he noticed my dropped jaw there.

All of our clothes are from Muggle stores. Almost _every _wizard or witch as adopted the Muggle style! It's been like that since around 2001, and I don't see it changing.

"I'm sure you have glasses," Lucius presumed, "and you will wear them in the house, understood?"

"Yeah."

"Yes _what_?"

"Uhh...?"

"Sir," Shane whispered quickly. "Yes _sir_!"

"Yes, sir," Kevin squeaked, showing Shane a brief moment of thanks.

Lucius sighed, then looked at his watch, "Well let's go get some lunch... Then it's back home for us."

* * *

Draco shut the door softly behind him, sighing as he entered the grand hall of his manor. He couldn't stay at work, there was just no way he could focus on anything. His secretary, Velma, promised she would book him a sick day and sent him home early.

He walked the long, unnaturally clean halls towards the library. It was near the rear of the first floor, and it had windows that faced the ponds and gardens. His mother had always loved to work with nature, despite her rather snotty attitude when it came to other people.

The sun had all but vanished since it started raining in the morning, and it didn't seem to want to come back out.

"But Grandmother... I want to make sure the ducks didn't get scared when it thundered!" a hushed little tone snapped from down the hall, "Ducks get scared too!"

Her little voice was so... adorable. Draco had this strange feeling that he liked Annie the best out of his children. The moment he pondered over it, however, he felt guilty, and told himself over and over again that a good parent would love their children, ALL of their children.

His stomach knotted again; he had _children_!

"I'm sure the ducks went to their mummy and daddy when the storm started and they are all okay, Dear," Narcissa cooed. Draco had a feeling she would either be rubbing Annie's arm or stroking her head, something his mother used to do when he felt upset over something.

"I wanna see them," he heard Annie pout.

They had to have been close, maybe just outside the room, since he could already hear his mothers sigh of surrender, "Go into the library... You'll see the lake out there... I'm going to go change into some dry clothes."

"Okay!"

Footsteps slammed down the hallway, but stopped when they reached the door, and a new sound was replaced in Draco's ear, "Daddy!"

"H-Hey Pumpkin," he stammered, bending down awkwardly to give her a hug as she rushed over, "How was... um..."

"Feeding the ducks?" she suggested, a coy little smirk on her face.

She was cheeky, he'd give her that much.

"Yes, how was feeding the ducks?" he laughed, pushing some hair away that had stuck to her face.

"It was really cute!" she gushed, climbing up on the couch and folding her hand in her lap, "We saw big ducks and little ducks and BABY ducks!"

"Draco, darling when did you get home?"

He and Annie looked back to the door and saw Narcissa enter, changed into another dry set of clothes, "And... Oh darling, don't let her sit on the couch!"

"... Why not?" Draco looked down at the couch. There wasn't anything dangerous on it... Why couldn't she sit there?

"She's all wet!" his mother moaned, shooting him an annoyed look, yet it softened when she spoke to Annie, "Be good and go put on some nice dry clothes, and I'll have the kitchen elves make you some hot chocolate."

Annie grinned broadly and slid off the couch, leaving a wet mark where she had been sitting, then scurried out the room, the idea of getting a hot, chocolaty drink still in her mind.

He sighed heavily and leaned against one of the thick wooden tables while his mother whipped out her wand, elegantly slicing it through the hair, making the stain vanish.

"How am I going to do it?" he asked softly, "How am I going to look after four kids, who already seem to have raised themselves!"

"You just need to be strict with them," his mother chided, "and yet be their friend... This is hard on all of you... And fighting about it or using a Crucio won't make it better."

Draco noted the harshness in his mother's tone when she said that and he frowned, "Crucio? I wouldn't do that... Father used to..." The thought clicked in his mind. "What did he do?"

"Shane was... exercising his old right of free speech," his mother explained slowly, "and... your father... took him to his study-"

"Oh Merlin..." Draco moaned, placing his head in his hands, "Why... I... Ugh. Shane should be mine to deal with, not fathers!"

"Your father believes you aren't sure of yourself in these matters, and thinks he should just help along the way," she said firmly, walking over and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, "Draco you must ease into this. No one is going to like anyone right away... Except Annie... I think she'll take a liking to anything that moves... You should have seen her talking to the ducklings for almost an hour."

He chuckled softly to himself, almost wishing he had been there to see it.

"Speaking of the others," he said. "Where are they?"

"Your father took them to buy their school books," she said dismissively, standing up and giving his cheek one last caress. "My baby has his own now... And I think you should talk to them, but when the time feels right. Perhaps get to know each of them a little better before having a big group talk... Just a thought."

She gave him a quick kiss on the head, then left, saying she was off to see to Annie.

* * *

I had never really taken notice of how much crap I had, until I started unpacking my boxes.

When we arrived home from a rather expensive lunch with Lucius, Annie was nearly wetting herself over feeding the ducks and walking in the rain, and about Dad being home when she came inside.

She seems to be liking him. I can't really say anything since I haven't spent too much time with the man.

We were naturally ushered upstairs by a fretful Grandmother, who insisted we change right away or we'll catch our deaths in the damp clothes. Kevin, I knew, was off to get rid of his contacts and find his glasses, since he had already fought Lucius about it once on the way home.

It didn't go well.

I opened a clothing box and found a baggy sweater and a pair of basketball shorts I had bought over the summer. Over an hour or so, I had managed to spread my junk out over the bookshelf, the desk, the shelves and the window sills, then Dad came in.

He knocked almost timidly on the door while I was putting away from Quidditch stuff in the corner.

"You play?"

I looked up and smiled, seeing the nervousness starting to fade.

Obviously he'd be nervous, he was having his first _actual _conversation with his second born child... Why does this sound so weird?

"Yeah..." I chuckled, "Not on the teams or anything... Shane did though. Me and Kevin just play for fun."

"Which position?" he inquired, fiddling with a ring on his finger.

I picked up a dormant Snitch, "Seeker... Kevin's a Beater, and Shane played Keeper and Chaser... kinda switching positions for the team."

"That's brilliant..."

"Yeah."

And the conversation died there. I continued to put some stuff up, "Am I allowed to put posters up?"

"Um..." he stared at the walls, "I... I don't see why not."

"Great, thanks!" I said happily, tacking up a few teams I liked.

"What's this?"

I looked up, smirking when he picked up my I-Pod.

"It's a Muggle thing..." I stated, "Kinda old, out of date. It's an IPod mini... It plays music for you."

He stared at it blankly, "Muggle?"

"Well yes," I laughed, walking over and motioning to my desk, "A lot of our stuff is Muggle stuff because... It was... cheaper for mum to pay for... The prices on stuff kinda got raised when He took over, so it was harder to get us stuff... So we converted to Muggle money and loaded up on whatever we wanted when school finished. I guess they were kinda... good bye gifts."

I looked at my stuff sadly, sighing a little.

Dad set the device back down on my desk and went to look at my pictures, most of them were of family, but I had a ton of them from school, of my friends just hanging out with me in the Common Room, or walking around Hogsmeade.

It only just dawned on me that many of them had either been killed, were being hunted down because of their family, or had moved to another country. It was a depressing thought.

"I wanted to come and... talk," Dad said finally after another little while of silence. "But... But as you can see, I'm... I'm not doing too well."

Maybe if he had come to see his kids a while ago he would be _better _at this.

I inhaled deeply, trying very hard not to spit that at him.

"Well it won't come right away," I said loudly to emphasize the point.

He ran his hand through his hair, "So I've been told..."

"You can't expect either of them to be kind on you," I stated, referring to Shane and Kevin. "They were in shitty moods-"

"Watch your language."

I glared up at him. I was trying to give him advice and he goes all parenty on me.

"They were in bad moods about mum leaving, and ... and they are used to being the guys of the house," I finished, hopping up on my desk and letting my legs dangle down, swaying slightly.

"And you and Annie... What can I expect from you?" he asked, looking up at me.

I shrugged my shoulders and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, "Well Annie will suck up to anyone who will shower her with love and affection, as I'm sure you've noticed... And I'm going to be moody since I do happen to be a teenage girl," his face twisted a little, "but you'll just have to get used to it."

A loud crack of lightning split the sky and thunder followed, accompanied by the heavy drops of rain.

"Well... I'm not as traditional as my father," he stated, walking towards the door with his hands in his pockets, "and I fear he will turn you into my mother."

"What?"

"He'll try and make you... proper."

I groaned loudly, "But I like me."

"So do I," he chuckled, "And I'll speak with him about it, don't worry."

I smiled thankfully as he left, stating he was off to talk with Shane about something that happened with Lucius that morning.

* * *

Draco knocked on Shane's door, feeling a bit more at ease with a boy to deal with. There was a grunt of response before he entered, and he felt as if he had stepped into his own teenage room.

Items were scattered everywhere, on the desk, dresser, floor, and there were a bazillion things that fell under the Quidditch theme.

"Oh..." Shane muttered, "It's you."

"Yes, yes it is me," Draco replied, smirking slightly. He would have sat down on the side of the desk, but it was too cluttered with stuff.

"Well what do you want?" Shane inquired, kneeing one of his dresser drawers shut, "And am I required to call you _sir_ every time I speak to you?"

His tone was spiteful, yet well understood.

"Not at the moment," Draco informed him, pacing slightly, "but when I ask it of you, you will use it."

"Why?"

"Because it shows respect," Draco said curtly, "I am your father and elder, so whether you like me or not, it would be the gentlemen thing to do and use respect. That way, you will not embarrass yourself."

Shane glared at him, and walked to his closet, grabbing a sweater similar to Eloise and pulled it on over his head, "Why do I need respect?"

"If you want respect, then you show respect," Draco said, remembering how often he had heard the very same speech from his father while he was growing up. "It's give and take. The more you give, Shane, the more you are allowed to take."

The boy's face clouded over with a thoughtful expression and he stared at the floor, finally muttering, "We never needed these rules before... I know tons of wizards in my house who don't use these rules..."

"They are not my rules, nor my father's... Nor his father's... I believe it's a Malfoy law when it comes to things like that," Draco sighed. "I don't like them, but they grow on you... You now have a name that means a lot in the wizarding world, and you need to uphold it."

"Are you saying mum's family name wasn't as important?" Shane demanded, his hands clenching slightly.

Draco sighed, that wasn't what he had meant at all.

"I never said that," Draco chuckled, "Nor was it implied. I simply meant that more people know the Malfoy name to hold snooty dignity to it, and I would hate for you to ruin that. So... in public... Behave yourself. I can control my father when it comes to reprimanding your sisters, but when it comes to boys he will deal with you how he sees fit... I've already talked to him about me dealing with you, but, naturally he holds higher authority over me since this is his house."

Draco hated to say it, but Lucius would always hold a higher rank in the family, as long as he lived anyways.

"I guess I can try," Shane mumbled, picking up a Quaffle and tossing it back and forth between his hands.

Draco smirked, finally they were getting somewhere, "Your sister tells me you play..."

A light suddenly ignited in his son's eyes and he smiled.


	4. Snape

**DISCLAIMER: JK's world is not mine.**

"This is stupid," Kevin grumbled, helping me move a bookshelf to the other side of the room, "I don't understand why there needs to be a Muggle Room ... Our stuff can just stay in our room!"

I shrugged and rolled my eyes.

We had only just listened to a massive lecture from Lucius, and to sum it all up we had to move any Muggle devices out of our room and into the 'Muggle Room', a.k.a the library. And it wasn't just devices that had to be moved. If we had Muggle books, posters or candies (we're candy buffs) we had to put them in the library. How we are going to manage to squish it all in here is beyond me. There were already some couches and a few bookshelves before we began moving stuff in here. Actually, it isn't that bad. Shane decided since most of our books were Muggle, we could put them in here and put the dusty old spell books in our room.

I wish our rooms weren't upstairs though, since we've had to climb up the stairs a billion times to haul all of our stuff down here. Annie was allowed to keep her stuff until she turns eleven, which for some odd reason is a really important age for wizards.

I suppose it's because we start school then, who knows. But she contently shut herself up in her room and played with her dolls all afternoon while we hauled two computers (mine and Shane's), countless books of all sorts (comics, magazines etc.) and posters down from our rooms.

Dad finally got in our good books when he stood up to Lucius, stating it was our belongings and we shouldn't have to move them out of our room.

That didn't go well.

Dad ended up being forced to help us move the heavier objects without magic as a punishment. Sometimes I think he's also a child in this house.

He and Shane are warming up to each other a bit more since each can't keep their mouth shut about Quidditch. They talked for almost two and a half hours after dinner yesterday about why Ireland will beat Singapore in the World Cup this year.

Unfortunately, Dad had to leave for work since he had a night shift, and would be leaving us in Lucius' charge, again. We were also told to behave tonight, since a guest was coming over.

To my surprise, it was Dad who told us to behave. The man coming over was his Godfather, Severus Snape. He was a retired Hogwarts professor, and he could quite possibly be tutoring us if we don't go to Hogwarts in the fall.

"I think that's all of it," Shane grunted from under a desk, trying to hook up both computers to a cable hook up. There were no plug-ins in the house anywhere, so we had to conjure up a power block where we could stick the cords in. It took us almost all morning until Grandmother came in and did it for us.

She's really nice.

I looked around the room and smiled. We set up an electronics section in one corner, which consisted of two computers and an extremely small television, along with our Ipods and Kevin's gameboy. Then we had a mass of posters of Muggle bands and movies strung up on either side of the huge windows. After that was the fireplace, which had two couches in front of it with a few games stored under the coffee table, such as Scrabble and Life. The rest of the room was filled with any random thing that was Muggle. Kevin had to make his own little cleaning station for his contacts, since he was permitted to wear them in our new little room, but nowhere else in the house.

Kinda stupid if you ask me.

"Now," Shane sighed, "anyone for a game of Qui-"

But before he could finish, the sky thundered again and rain instantly began to poor down. It was really annoying, the weather lately. For a good few hours it was lovely and sunny, then it went dark and suddenly turned to rain.

"Damn," Kevin grumbled, kicking the ground with his foot, "I was in the mood for a game too..."

"We could play cards?" I suggested.

Shane nodded, "Fine... But I'm bored of this room... We'll play Exploding Snap on the staircase... That way we'll be playing a wizarding game."

"Exploding Snap is boring," Kevin moaned as we left the room.

I privately agreed with him, but we needed to get ourselves out of that room, since we had been in there since after breakfast.

"Suck it up," Shane snapped, settling down on the staircase. "You don't have to play."

I sat down to his left and Kevin to his right, glaring at our brother sourly, "I'll play."

I smirked, Kevin never wanted to be left out of anything if he could help it. Little footsteps suddenly tromped down the stairs, and Annie leaned on Shane's back, peering over his shoulder, "Whatya doin?"

"Playing Exploding Snap," Shane stated, dealing out the cards.

Annie pursed her lips and frowned, "That's a stupid game."

"No it's not."

"Yeeeeah..."

"As stupid as you playing with dolls."

"Don't call them stupid! They may hear you!"

I snorted loudly while looking over my cards. Annie and her dolls... She always made me laugh, even if she didn't mean too.

* * *

"Lucius darling," Narcissa sighed, "Do you really think it was fair to make them move their belongings?"

Lucius sighed; his wife wouldn't let this go. She always found something to nag at him until he gave in to her will and just accepted whatever she wanted.

"I gave them something to do," he stated, looking up from the paper. They were seated across from each other in one of the parlors on the fourth floor, watching the rain drizzle down from the sunroof.

"But-"

"Narcissa," Lucius growled, "Please, love, I gave them a room for themselves. That way it gives them more roaming space in the manor instead of being cooped up in their own separate rooms all day."

She sighed and stirred her tea slowly, "I suppose."

Lucius smirked; finally, a victory against his sharp tongued wife. He loved her to no end because of that tongue though.

She looked up at the sunroof and shivered, rubbing her slender arms in hopes of warming them up. Lucius grinned, it was the perfect opportunity to snuggle.

"Cold?" he inquired, getting up and settling down beside her on the couch.

She grinned, "Yes... I'm freezing."

Lucius smirked and leaned down, planting a few soft kisses along her long neck, slinging his arm lazily across her.

"Grandmother!"

He cursed and quickly pulled away just in time. Annie stomped into the room, a scowl on her little face.

"Hello darling," Narcissa cooed as Annie walked over. "Why such a long face?"

Lucius cursed the girl for interrupting his potential getting-some-on-the-couch time with his wife, but he sighed and decided to wait until later to finish up.

"Kevin said my dolls were stupid," she stated, pouting as she climbed up on the couch between Lucius and his wife, "and they won't let me play Exploding Snap with them."

"What a pity," Lucius muttered quietly so only Narcissa could hear him. She shot him a silencing look and he caught it full blast. He hated that look. It was one that said there was no point in arguing since he would suffer for it later if he did.

"Well I'm sure they will let you play later," Narcissa insisted, stroking Annie's soft hair. "Maybe they just want to play a quick game after all the work they did today."

Annie chewed on her lip for a moment, "Yeah I guess... But they always say I have to watch when we play cards."

"Well give it some time and they will let you play," Narcissa chuckled. "They just want to play together sometimes."

"Why?"

Lucius smirked as Narcissa continued to answer their granddaughter's questions with ease. Narcissa had always been quite good with children. Even before Draco was born, Lucius would watch his wife interact with other women's children whenever she could. She always looked so motherly with them, which pushed him over the edge to try for a child. That and he could hardly stand not having his way with her each night.

That may have been the main reason for Draco, but Lucius was never really sure.

A large _crack_ made Annie nearly jump off the couch, and Lucius looked up to see Severus Snape standing near one of the windows, looking slightly dazed.

"Severus!" Lucius greeted, standing up and smiling, "Pleased you could join us!"

"I hope I'm not late," Severus stated, dusting himself off, "I had a few Muggles the Dark Lord inquired I deal with."

Lucius smirked and shook his old friend's hand. Severus Snape always looked the same. His hair, however, had tinges of gray in it as he aged, and his wardrobe was finally looking new. It was still a set of black robes, but they were in much better condition then what he was used too back when he was the Potions Master at Hogwarts. Since Severus had been the murderer of Dumbledore, it was only natural he was given the spoils of war before the rest of the Death Eaters. His spoils included a large house in the country, enough gold in his bank account at Gringotts to feed a small country, and a lovely young witch named Ginny Weasley for a wife.

She had taken place in the final battle, and was captured just before the Order was defeated. Most of the Order was still alive, but they were off somewhere else, living in safety.

"Hello, Narcissa," Severus greeted, waiting for her to get up and come give him a hug. Lucius watched his old friend give her a kiss on each cheek and that familiar feeling of possession kicked back in and he placed a firm hand on her waist. Not that he didn't trust Severus, but he was simply being Lucius Malfoy.

"And who would this be?" Severus inquired, looking around Narcissa to Annie, who was shyly making her way over.

Before Lucius could say anything, she held out her little hand and said strongly, "I'm Annie."

Lucius held in the urge to snort as Narcissa explained, "One of Draco's children... The rest are downstairs-"

"Playing Exploding Snap!" Annie explained as Severus shook her tiny hand, "And they won't let me play!"

"Such a little diva," Severus mused, shooting Lucius a look, "She's taken on someone's younger traits."

Lucius grinned. He remembered Draco was much like Annie for a while when he was growing up; he would feel the urge to complain about anything and everything to his father and Godfather.

"What's a diva?" Annie inquired, looking innocently up at Narcissa, who shot both Severus and Lucius an annoyed look.

"A lovely little girl, like yourself," Narcissa said sweetly, even though she was glaring at both of the smirking men.

* * *

"Pass the peas, please," I growled at Shane, who grinned.

"Of course, sister darling, will that be all?"

"You're such an _ass_," I hissed, snatching the bowl away from him.

I had lost every single game of Exploding Snap, and because of that, my brothers got to decide my punishment for losing. I wish Annie had played, then I could have pinned the losing streak on her.

Dad ended up coming home just as we met Severus Snape. He was a very relaxed man, but I would be too if I were him. Dad told me he's rich and has a wife half his age back at home. He's also a sarcastic bugger. We were on very good behaviors for dad's sake, since he was getting quite a good bit of verbal abuse from Lucius and Severus.

Nothing mean mind you, but they were picking on him for odd little things and snipping inside jokes at each other. Grandmother didn't seem to be as amused as they were, and decided to focus on chatting with Annie about whatever popped into her mind for most of the dinner.

"I've got it," Kevin said suddenly, looking up at me from across the table with a hint of mischief in his mind. Lucius and Severus quieted down their conversation with each other to listen slightly to what was happening at our end of the table, "Suicides."

"No," I groaned, rolling my eyes, "It's raining... I'm not doing suicides in the rain."

"She can't do suicides to save her life, anyway," Shane snorted, pouring some gravy over his chicken.

That's not true! I can do suicides!

Suicides are this warm up you do, usually at a sports thing, and you have to make markers. You start at the first, then run to the second, touch the second, and then run back. Then you run to the third, touch it, then run back, then run to the fourth, touch it, then run back. It's such a tiring experience, but we usually make each other do it when someone loses a bet, or in my case, several rounds of Exploding Snap.

"I can _so _do suicides," I growled, stabbing at my potatoes forcefully, "but no one in their right mind does them in the rain..."

"I've had to do 'em in the rain for Quidditch," Shane argued.

I rolled my eyes, "You just bullied the younger kids into doing it and you sat under an umbrella and watched."

"Oh yeah..." an amused smile spread across his face. Kevin snorted, "I remember that."

I rolled my eyes and went back to my food as Narcissa inquired as to what Suicides actually were. I had a feeling she was thinking they were something terrible, since there was a slightly look of horror in her eyes. Kevin swallowed his mouthful of chicken quickly and went into a detailed explanation of what you needed to do in suicides and how they could only be summed up in one word; Hell.

"I really don't see it proper for Eloise to be doing them, then," Lucius said tightly. He would have continued, butSeverus cut him off.

"Oh come, Lucius, it builds character on children when they do something strenuous. She wouldn't be the first girl doing suicides... I've seen plenty of them do it at practices at school."

Damn. I was actually hoping they would all side with me. It seemed Dad finally clued in to what we were talking about as he explained, "Suicides? Blimey I hated doing suicides..."

"Exactly!" I said, shooting him a pleading look, "So... I shouldn't have to do them-"

"You lost though," Shane chuckled, "That's how we play, Loo. Maybe you shouldn't play cards next time if you can't handle losing."

I hated it when my brothers try to purposefully embarrass me. They've done it before on many occasions, like when we were having the Minister of Magic over for dinner. They kept hinting stupid little things at me. Afterwards I beat Kevin to a pulp and tried my luck with Shane, but they teamed up against me and locked me in the bathroom.

That's brothers for you.

"I can handle suicides," I snapped, glaring at Shane, "more then you can anyway."

"Pfht."

"Don't pfht me," I snorted, "You know it's true and you just don't have a comeback."

"I do, it just isn't suitable dinner conversation," Shane sniggered, raising a challenging eyebrow at me. If Lucius wasn't surrounded by his family, he would have slammed his hand against his forehead with annoyance, but I knew he wouldn't do it in front of everyone.

"Wow that was brilliant," I snapped, "I guess we'll have to wait for your amazing comeback until later."

"Enough, you two," Dad growled, silencing both of us quickly.

Him and Lucius had the same tone of voice when they were telling us off. Dad hadn't really done much telling off to us, but I had heard him and his father banter back and forth for a while. I was certainly happy to not be in that conversation.

* * *

I somehow managed to rope Shane into doing fifteen suicides with me. Grandmother was firmly against us doing them tonight, since it was raining cats and dogs, but Severus promised he would give us a Pepper Up potion if we came down with any sort of sniffles afterwards.

"I hate you," I growled, punching Shane in the arm when we were finally outside, "I'm soaking wet now just because you wouldn't shut up at dinner."

"Well maybe if you would have _won _some games _we_ wouldn't be out here," Shane snapped, "I think this is a punishment for me too... Lucius thinks we were too rude to each other over dinner."

We both looked at each other and rolled our eyes.

Lucius and Grandmother were so set on making us actually be polite to each other... It was sickening.

"Right," Shane said loudly over the dropping of rain. "We'll start here... The second marker is that tree, and the third is the lake..."

"We're only doing three?" I asked, trying to hide my content.

"I hate the wet sock feeling," Shane muttered, stomping his feet and both of us hearing a squishing sound.

I wrinkled my nose in disgust and sighed, "Wanna run at the same pace... That way we can both save some dignity."

Shane looked back over to a window and we spotted Lucius, Dad and Severus watching us with amusement, Kevin at the other. Little bugger somehow wormed his way out of doing these.

"Fine," Shane sighed, "but if you slow down I'm not waiting for you."

I rolled my eyes and took off, Shane close behind me. We reached the second marker at the same time, and while Shane bent down to touch it, I just touched the invisible line gingerly with my foot and raced back to the starting marker.

"What the Hell?" I heard him shout, "You have to actually touch it with your _hands_!"

"FINE!"

I could tell Shane was annoyed with me, so I made the effort to actually touch the line when I got to it. My throat started to hurt after a while, since we were both running as fast as we could so we wouldn't look pathetic in front of our audience.

Shane slipped on a muddy patch on the twelth suicide and I burst out laughing, and waited for him to find his footing before running again. When we finally finished my legs felt tired, but they seemed to want to keep running since I had gotten them into the motion for so long.

"Nicely done, Loo," Shane chuckled, smacking me on the back. "For a girl you managed really well."

I growled at him and he took off running into the house, me close at his heels, but we came to a skidding halt when we spotted an annoyed Grandmother.

"You are wet, muddy and if you set one more foot on my white tiled floor you will suffer," she growled, her arms crossed. We looked at each other with a wide eyed expression and eagerly accepted the towels from some house elves and let them take our socks and shoes.

We quickly scuttled off as Grandmother went off muttering about us catching our deaths in the rain and are going to muck up her floors before the night is over.

"Bloody Hell," Shane said, trying to control his laughter. "She's a bit of clean freak..."

"Only slightly," I chuckled, skipping up two steps at a time with my brother, then veered off into our separate rooms to change.

* * *

Snape chuckled softly when he heard Eloise and her brother discuss Narcissa's cleaning habits, and then returned back to the parlor with the rest of the household.

"They went off to change, I suppose," Severus stated, "Narcissa has already hailed them with towels and has removed their shoes in fear they will scuff up her floor."

He heard Lucius snort into his glass of fire whiskey and Draco smirked. He looked over to the other two children, Annie and Kevin, who were seated on opposite sides of a chess board and were beginning a game.

At least they would be out of the elderly wizard's hair for a while. Annie had been talking to Severus all afternoon until dinner, and he wasn't sure if he could endure much more of childish conversation.

After some mild discussion of his Godson's job down at the ministry, Lucius spoke up, "Severus... I have a problem I need your help with."

"Wouldn't that be my problem, _father_," Draco inquired lightly. "They are my children."

Severus smiled; he never thought he'd hear that coming from the lips of Draco Malfoy.

Lucius ignored his son, "I am not sure whether to send them to Hogwarts, or inquire your services to tutor them. As you remember, you do owe me some favours."

Severus frowned; Lucius was correct. His friend had taken the heat for many of his past mistakes when they were young Death Eaters, and Lucius was never going to let him forget it.

"Perhaps a compromise will be best," Severus suggested, "I can tutor half of the week, they can be at school the rest? The Dark Lord changed the rules anyway. Students aren't allowed to reside at Hogwarts. He's lifted the Apparating Ban and they are free to come and go as they wish, or use the Floo network to get home."

"That sounds like the best idea," Lucius said, nodding his head.

"Won't that be hard on them?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow, "I mean... Half the week with their friends, half the week without?"

"Eloise will most likely be the only Gryffindor returning," Severus stated, "I'm actually quite interested to see how she does..."


	5. Summer Fun

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN JK'S WORLD. **

"Hey dad?" I said suddenly as I poured myself a glass of milk, "Can you swim in the lake?"

It's bloody hot outside, and there is nothing to do. The heat is making my brother agitated with everything and everybody, which would explain the moody brooding going on at their end of the table. The house can be kept cold by magic, but Lucius threatened to kill the coldness in our room if we misbehaved.

"Why would you want to swim in the lake, Eloise dear?" Grandmother asked, a look of disgust on her face, "It's filthy."

"But at least it's cool," Kevin grumbled, looking away from the glare Lucius had shot him.

"Well... It's just..." I bit my lip, trying to keep everything I was saying in the most polite manner as possible to make up for my brothers lousy attitude, "We are kinda... outdoorsy people, so we like going out to hike or play a sport... And... right now it's just too hot to do that. So, we figured since the lake was nice and cool we could just go cool off in there."

Dad also shared in his mothers disgust, "The lake is disgusting... Full of weeds and gunk... Maybe even fish."

"Fish?" Annie said, brightening up, "Fishies are so pretty!"

I rolled my eyes and returned to my persuasion techniques. I think I've almost got Dad saying yes, "Well... We used to go camping every summer with mum and our uncles, so we can handle a couple of fish and weeds here and there. It wouldn't be for long... Just enough to cool down."

"I suppose there's no harm in it," Dad muttered, shrugging his shoulders, "Go ahead... Finish eating breakfast first... Then... um... Don't swim right away-"

"We know, Dad," Shane chuckled. I could tell he was resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

We all ate our breakfast at lightning speed and nearly ran upstairs to get changed, hearing Grandmother express her worries faintly to Lucius.

I rummaged through my drawers and found a Billabong tankini and a pair of Billabong swim trunks.

I have a thing for Billabong.

I pulled my hair back into a high ponytail and slathered on some sunscreen. I hate sunscreen, but I would rather use it then have something foul up when I cast a protection spell on myself.

"You can't come swimming!" Shane exclaimed desperately.

"Why not!" Annie cried.

I peeked out my door and found Annie had gotten all changed herself into a blue little swimsuit and found a blue towel and a blue skirt.

Her obsession with blue is just... weird.

"You don't know how to swim... You'll drown," Kevin explained, patting her on the head. "You have to wait a little while."

"I can SO swim!" Annie snapped, stomping her foot with annoyance, "You just won't let me!"

My brothers looked at each other, "True."

"LOO!"

I groaned softly. Whenever my brothers were cruel to Annie, I would get an earful of her whining and complaining.

"What?" I hissed, finally coming out of my room.

"I wanna swim!"

"We don't know how deep the lake is yet," I said as sweetly as I could. "Maybe you should just let us handle it, then you can swim."

"Noooo..."

"Annie if you don't listen we'll just put a ward around the lake and you won't be able to get in," Shane growled. "So just let us swim today and then we'll see how deep it is and stuff..."

Tears welled up in her big eyes and she turned on her heel back into her room, then slammed the door with all the force she could muster. I looked at my brothers and all three of us sighed.

"She can't swim," I said, justifying why we were excluding her as we marched down the stairs. "If she drowns then it'll be our problem."

"Where's Annie?" Dad asked from the sitting room as we walked past. The boys looked at me and I groaned.

I always had to explain things!

"She can't swim," I stated firmly. "So we said we would see how deep it is and then we will let her swim next time."

"That would explain the door slam," Lucius snorted from behind his paper.

Grandmother rose, saying she would go check on our sister, but Shane shook his head, "Just let her be on her own for a while... She's such a drama queen."

We wrapped our towels around our necks and headed out to the lake, nearly dying the moment we stepped out into the sun.

"LAST ONE IN GETS TO DEAL WITH ANNIE LATER!" Kevin shouted, suddenly taking off towards the lake. Shane and I ran after him, and passed him easily, both of us cannon balling into the lake. We did drop our stuff off though, don't worry. Kevin hit the water a few seconds after I did, which meant he was the one who had to tell Annie that she couldn't go swimming for a good reason later on.

* * *

We spent a good deal of the morning swimming around in the lake. We did find a few fish, but they were generally small, expect for one, which prompted us to get the Hell out of the lake as fast as we possibly could. We changed and went in for lunch, only to find Annie still sour with all of us and sat between Narcissa and Lucius, stewing quietly over her sandwich.

I kicked Kevin once under the table and looked over to Annie, but he simply mouthed 'Later' and continued eating. As Kille began clearing our plates and we stood up, Lucius held up his hand, "Sit."

And we sat.

"Uh..." Dad sighed, "Father- Your Grandfather and I just wanted to ask you three a few questions... Just some more... um... personal ones so we know you a little... better."

Lucius rolled his eyes and muttered with as much sarcasm as he could muster, "Nicely done."

Grandmother gathered up Annie, who looked devastated that she wasn't apart of the conversation and she was ushered out of the room with promises of a trip to the lake to see the fish. Lucius and Dad rose and settled into two chairs across from us so we had direct eye contact. Kevin shifted uneasily beside me and Shane leaned back in his chair, trying to look relaxed.

"We expect truthful answers," Lucius stated, his eyes narrowing at us, "or I will simply get a Truth potion and slip it in your drinks tonight and ask these questions later."

I exchanged a fearful look with my brothers, "No worries... We won't lie."

I could have sworn Lucius shot Dad a look that meant And-That's-How-It's-Done, but I chose to ignore it.

"Okay so..." Dad sighed, folding his hands together, "Best subjects in school?"

"Care of Magic Creatures," Kevin said.

"Did you even have a good subject, Shane?" I snorted, smirking at the glare he was sending me.

"I was good at Astronomy," Shane admitted.

I shrugged, "Potions."

Most of the people in my house loathed Potions, but I found it loads of fun.

Dad nodded, "Right... worst subjects?"

"Transfigurations."

"Potions."

"Astronomy."

We had an order for answering questions now; Kevin, Shane and then me. It was sort of ironic that my worst subject was Shane's best, and his best was my worst.

"Have any of you gotten drunk?" Lucius inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"No."

"Tipsy, but not full out drunk."

My silence earned me a wide eyed look from Shane and a disapproving one from the others. I rolled my eyes, "Okay, okay, okay, I only got full out drunk once. The Gryffindors won the House Cup... And... Well the Weasley brothers stocked us all up with any sort of alcoholic drink they could get... We were a very moody house the next day... But it was one Hell of a night."

"Wait..." Shane said suddenly, "Where did you guys get the alcohol?"

"Teachers storage cupboard sucks," I stated, "You have to hit it on the right place and it opens..."

"Oooh."

"Yeah."

Lucius and Dad watched both of us with mild amusement and I quickly stammered, "Only once though..."

Somehow I knew Dad was bad at school when he was younger. I mean, when you grow up in a strict household, you're bad whenever you're out of it. Laws of teen years.

"Have you ever had a girlfriend or a boyfriend?" Dad asked awkwardly. You could tell he felt uncomfortable with the question by the tone of his voice, which earned him another eye roll from Lucius.

"I had a girlfriend," Kevin said proudly.

Shane snorted, "Holding hands up in the Owlery doesn't earn you a girlfriend..."

"We did more then hold hands!"

"Pfht, like what?"

Well we-"

"Ew!" I shrieked, covering my ears, "Please I don't want to know what you did with Susan McOgle up in the Owlery... Those poor birds!"

Kevin smirked and I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

"Well I had a few girlfriends," Shane admitted, shrugging his shoulders.

I rolled my eyes, "He's a player."

"Am not."

"Are too! He had a different girlfriend almost every two weeks!"

"No one was worth dating, that's why!"

Lucius smirked and looked over at Dad, "Sounds familiar..."

Dad's cheeks tinged a light pink and he looked at me, "And you, any boyfriends?"

I shook my head, "No one worth dating to be honest. All the boys at school are _so _immature."

Shane snorted and I shot him a glare.

So I lied.

I had gone out with a few boys, but sadly most of them ended up cheating on me or doing something stupid, so I decided to wait until school was over to start dating again.

* * *

Annie sat in the Muggle room, staring out the window and absentmindedly brushing her dolls hair. How come she was never allowed to sit in on anything? She was old enough now to be with her brothers and sister when they do stuff!

At least, in her mind she was.

With a loud huff, she rose and threw her doll on the couch, then strolled out of the room. The kitchen door was still shut, which meant her everyone was still in there. Her Grandmother had taken her out to the lake, but it was so hot the pair decided to stay inside and play something. Sadly, her Grandmother had to go take a call from the fireplace and had been gone for some time, so Annie tried to find something else to do. Her new house was so big compared to her old one, and she wanted to see it all!

First she would look at the downstairs. She walked along the clean hallways, watching a few moving paintings here and there. With a wide smile on her childish face, she entered one of the parlors, looking around at the room which had been filled with plants, books along large bookshelves and gorgeous green couches. One book, however, was sticking out from the rest of the books. She frowned, thinking it was really out of place, and walked over to push it back in. Instead, she pulled the book loose and heard a loud, rumbling sound. Fearfully, she dropped the book, but not in time. Suddenly, Annie was sucked into something, screaming loudly as she was.

Little did she know, she had touched Lucius Malfoy's portkey, which was linked to noneother than Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry. Annie landed on the ground with a hard thud. She sat up quickly, trying to fight the urge to break out into huge, crocodile tears. She was in a hallway, with paintings of aged wizards and witches, and statues, with a lush red carpet. She stood up holding her arms around herself, and walked timidly down the hallway, following it with soft footsteps to a large opening, revealing several moving staircases, and a doorway to a large, grand hall.

She looked from the moving staircases to the hall, and even though the staircases would be more fun, she decided to see if someone was in the hall. She pushed her head in the doorway and spotted a figure sitting at one of the tables, writing something furiously. She wrinkled her nose at his appearance, however.

He was bald, and had a snake-like look to him, including the lack of a nose and small, thin lips.

But, her mother always said you should be kind to people, even if they looked frightening.

So, holding her head up high, she walked into the hall as silently as she could, only stopping when she was a few feet away from the man.

"Hello."

She had never seen a grown man jump so high in her life! He would have hit the ceiling if his legs didn't bang into the table.

He looked back at her with a wide eyed expression, then back to the door, then to her, "How did you get in here?"

"I came through the door," Annie explained gently, knowing by the tone of his voice he was a little older then her Grandfather.

He sighed loudly, "Apparently... How did you get into the castle?"

"Well!" Annie said loudly, hopping up on the bench, quite eager to retell her story, "You see! I was walking through Grandfather's house because no one would let me sit with them during their secret little meeting with Loo and Shane and Kevin... So I saw a book and when I picked it up I came here!"

The man stared at her in silence for a moment, his mouth opening and closing several time. She frowned, "You're boring... I'm gonna go find somebody else to talk too."

She knew it was rude, and her mother would have told her off as soon as the words left her mouth, but this man was really boring!

She slid off the bench, leaving the snake man in silence and awe, and walked out of the hall, hoping to find something better to do.

* * *

"Annie? Annie sweetheart?"

Kevin glanced back as his Grandmother entered, a slightly frantic look on her face. He, however, was happy for the break between the grilling he was getting from his father and Grandfather, and from the look on his siblings faces, they were too.

"What's wrong, love?" Lucius inquired.

His grandmother sighed, "I left Annie for a minute to answer a fire message, and when I came back she was gone... I've checked her room and most of the downstairs... I... I can't find her."

"We can go look around, if you want?" Shane suggested, Eloise standing quickly. "Sure, I mean... she may just be playing a game, or something."

"Sit, Eloise," Lucius growled, making her sit. "We aren't finished yet."

"Lucius," his Grandmother cooed, "Please... I just want to know where she is... These three will know where she would run off too."

Kevin looked from his father, to his grandfather, then to his grandmother. Lucius sighed loudly, "Fine. But once she's found I want you three back here, understood?"

"Yes, sir," Shane answered, standing up quickly. Kevin nearly fell out of his chair at the speed he moved to follow his brother out of the room.

"I left her in your little room down the hall," his grandmother explained, "and now she's gone."

"Don't worry," Eloise soothed. "She likes to play hide and go seek... We'll find her."

"I'll check down this hall," Kevin offered, walking away from the group. He decided to start in the largest room across the hall from the 'Muggle Room' since he knew Annie would be drawn to the numerous plants.

"Annie?" he called, "Come out you little brat... Grandma's really scared that you've run off! Annie?"

His eyes fell on a book that was laying on the ground and frowned. He may as well pick it up, since someone may trip on it or something. He bent down and picked it up, but the moment he did, he felt himself being sucked into something. Letting out a yelp, he gripped the book tightly as everything went black, and he landed on his side on the floor. Opening his eyes, he gasped loudly. He was at Hogwarts! The book must have been a portkey... and Annie must have touched it earlier... He cringed. Voldemort was living alone at Hogwarts over the summer holidays and Kevin was afraid an over chatty little thing like Annie would get on his nerves.

"Hey... Sir Cauldron?" he said, poking a painting of a knight on a rather fat horse lightly, "Have you seen a little girl around here? She should come up to my middle-ish and have blonde curly hair?"

"Aye," the old knight laughed, "Saw her near the Great Hall. Gave ol' Voldemort quite a shock."

Kevin's stomach knotted and dropped.

"She met V-Voldemort?"

The knight nodded, chuckling, "Said he was boring... I had a little chat with her from my other portrait near the Gryffindor Common Room."

Kevin's eyes widened and he tore off down the hall, knowing Voldemort wouldn't just let a child wander around the school. He carefully made sure he wasn't touching the book or he would be sent back to the Manor without his little sister. He only vaguely knew the way to the Gryffindor Common Room, since he had walked Eloise back a few times within the past year, but he made an effort to stay away from it or suffer the snipes from his Slytherin housemates. He was happy to see Voldemort hadn't changed anything about Hogwarts, since he loved the old school, everything about it. Perhaps the homework could be less, but nothing's perfect.  
He spotted a head of blonde curls sitting at the foot of the Fat Lady, listening to the hold woman talk about rubbish and such like always.

"ANNIE!" he shouted, hurdling up the staircase, two or three steps at a time.

"I don't want to talk to you!" Annie shouted, standing up and dashing up another staircase.

"Annie!" Kevin yelled, "Come back! We need to go home! This is Hogwarts... We're not allowed here!"

"Well **I** am," Annie snapped, sticking her tongue out. "The snake man gave me a cookie and said as long as I don't talk to him I can go anywhere I WANT!"

"Well Grandmother's scared out of her mind right now!" Kevin growled, coming closer to his sister. "She thinks you've gone to the lake and fallen in or something!"

"I'm FINE!" Annie cried, running off down a hallway. Kevin groaned and dashed after her, catching one of her thin arms easily and wrapping his arms around her mid-section, then hoisting her up.

It was rather difficult, since she was kicking and shouting at him to put her down.

It rather very hard to actually get out the book portkey, and Kevin managed to drop it.

"Wonderful," he groaned, awkwardly bending down to try and pick it up with a squealing little sister in his arms.

"Annie... STOP!" he demanded, but winced when she delivered a sharp kick to the shins. Kevin dropped her, but held on to her arm firmly, and bent down, grasping the book.

"HIIII!" Annie shouted, waving to something down the hall. Kevin looked up and saw the only person living in the castle at the moment hurrying up the staircase; Lord Voldemort.

However, he didn't have a chance to stay and chat, since the portkey kicked into effect and dragged both himself and Annie back to the Malfoy Manor...


	6. Interruption Blues

**DISCLAIMER: JK'S ISN'T MINE.**

People were coming over today.

Who they were, I really don't know, but they were coming to visit with Lucius, then to discuss 'important Ministry' stuff with dad. We were told last night that we had to look nice, act nice and be nice to each other, or we'd suffer as Lucius so nicely put it.

Annie was found by Kevin, who said she was wandering around one of the libraries, which I found weird, since Annie could honestly care less about a boring old library. But Dad bought it, and Grandmother seemed so relieved to have her back that I didn't press the issue. From the look on Lucius' face though, I could tell he wasn't buying Kevin's story either.

The only good thing about today was that we were allowed to sleep in.

Either that, or no one woke me up. So, I decided to make myself look presentable and actually take a meaningful shower with the lovely smelling shampoo's I found in my bathroom. That's where I am now, standing in a steamy bathroom after a nice long shower with my towel wrapped around my head.

I removed the towel and my eyes widened with horror; my hair was blue.

MY HAIR WAS BLUE!

I screamed in frustration, and I knew somewhere in the kitchen Shane and Kevin would be snorting loudly over it.

Foul... stupid...

They always did this to me! Anytime someone was coming over they just had to embarrass me.

They will pay.

After finding my undergarments and such, I slipped on a pair of jeans and a Quidditch jersey that was laying half in and half out of my hamper. With soaking wet hair, I stormed downstairs, ignoring the shocked looks from a pair of house elves who had been dusting. I entered the dining area with force, and found it rather difficult not to launch myself at my brothers, who were well dressed and smiling smugly at me from the other side of the table. Grandmother looked shocked, to say the least, and Lucius seemed a bit disgusted, while Dad was nowhere to be seen.

Annie's jaw dropped and she tugged on Lucius' sleeve, "I want blue hair too! How come she gets blue hair!"

"Hush," Lucius said swiftly. "Eloise... Why, in Merlin's name, is your hair... blue?"

"It's pretty," Annie muttered in a defeated manner, earning her a look from Lucius.

"These... prats should be able to explain," I snapped, pointing at my brothers. "Every time you sods manage to do something to me-"

"Language, Eloise," Lucius growled, making me gulp softly.

"Have a seat, sister dearest," Kevin chuckled, holding up a slice of watermelon. "Breakfast is great."

"D'accord," I said, going off into French, "Mais quand vous avez fini... Vous ete bouteilles vides." _Ok, but when you have finished... You are dead men._

We had to study French, since our other set of Grandparents decided to live in Paris for a while. My French was rough, but it got the meaning across... to Kevin at least, judging by the nervous look he sent Shane. My older brother simply brushed me off and continued eating. I took a seat closer to Lucius, since I was in no mood to deal with my brothers, and would rather have the attention of my jealous sister then their smug looks.

"I didn't know you spoke French, darling," Grandmother praised as I helped myself to a slice of watermelon, "but I'm also fluent in it... While my husband would have nothing to do with the French, I took up an interest in them some time ago... So watch when you threaten your brothers."

Lucius' eyes shot up from his paper, "She threatened them?"

"Rightly so," Grandmother said casually. "They dyed her hair blue."

"They're just boys-"

"That gives them no right to do it."

"It was all in fun-"

"Lucius."

Lucius opened his mouth, and I watched Grandmother's expression harden. His eye twitched and he buried himself back beneath his paper.

"Grandmother?" Annie said sweetly, "Can I have blue hair too?"

"No," Lucius responded from behind the paper, "Eloise can use some of my dye potions to change her hair back to normal."

Thank God.

* * *

The rest of the day went smoothly, despite the blue hair incident. Lucius managed to get my hair back to the right colour, much to Annie's dismay, and we stayed away from the adults for the rest of the day when we heard the voices of other adults arriving. I managed to lock my brothers outside the house, and forbid any house elves from letting them inside. Dad ruined the fun and let them in once it had gotten dark. I sat up in my room, reading one of the teen witch magazines from a year ago that I had missed during my reading. Gossip is always so much fun to brew over. As I sat, however, there was a bit of a racket coming from downstairs. Frowning, I tossed my magazine on the floor, rolled off my bed, and went out into the hallway. Kevin and Shane both had their heads sticking out of their doorways, but they seemed as lost as I was.

"What's happening?" I inquired.

Shane shrugged, "Lucius and Dad are arguing with someone... Says he knows you. Guess they don't want you to see any boys or something... Sounds like Will."  
"Will?"

That name sounded so familiar to me...

Oh yes! There was a boy that lived on our street when I was younger... We were sweet on each other, even though he was two years older than me and a year older then Shane. Well, I was sweet on him first, and then he liked me when I turned about twelve.

He moved though...

To Wales to study at a private Wizarding college for those who wished to hone all their studies on one subject; his was Muggle Studies. Why... I really don't know. I suppose he wanted to work in Muggle Relations with the old Ministry, but I don't see that happening now.

"Look I just want to say hi to her-"

"That hardly sounds appropriate," Lucius drawled.

"Look, mate," Dad said, trying to keep his voice calm, "as much as I want you to ogle my daughter, I would rather keep that thought out of my mind. So if you don't mind-"

"Well, _mate_, I really don't plan on ogling your daughter to be honest!"

I grinned.

It was Will.

But why was he here?

"Better go save him before Lucius gets at him," Shane remarked. "Me and Kev will be down after you."

I nodded and looked at my clothes. I was in a black tank top and a loose green skirt that went about two inches past my knee.

Good enough.

I ran to the top of the stairs and squealed, "WILL!"

"Ah my adoring fangirl," Will chuckled as I sped down the stairs, jumping into his open arms for a hug. He smelled the same as he had when I saw him last, when he was fifteen. Two years ago... seems like such a long time.

"Nice digs," he mused, looking around my new house with content. "Your mum told me you had the good living now."

"You saw mum?"

"I had to find out where you were somehow, now didn't I?"

"Yes, obviously. I can't believe you're here!"

Someone cleared their throat behind me and I was suddenly pulled back by Dad, who was glaring at Will, "Care to explain?"

"Who the bloody Hell do you think you are?" Will snapped, "Yanking her around like that-"

"Shut it, Will," I whispered, turning back to Dad. "This is Will Terny. We grew up together."

Dad shot Will a venomous look and released me, "You have ten minutes... Then it's off the property."

"WILL!"

"SHANE! KEV!"

My brothers thundered down the stairs, clearly when they knew it was safe for Will to still be in the house, and pounced on him with back slaps and other stupid greetings boys do.

Dad looked annoyed and Lucius looked beyond disgust.

"And who is this handsome guest?" Grandmother asked with a silly smirk on her face as she entered from one of the sitting rooms. Annie would have been here, but she was asleep, since it was far past her bedtime.

"Will Terny, ma'am," Will greeted politely, inclining his head and grinning. Grandmother smiled back and held out her hand, which he kissed formally. Dad rolled his eyes and Lucius' faint smile tightened slightly.

"Why are we making him wait out here?" Grandmother inquired, taking off his thin jacket and handing it to a house elf, "Come in for some tea, won't you?"

"That would be much appreciated, thank you," Will chuckled, inclining his head once more as Grandmother walked off to put a pot on after instructing us to go sit in one of the living rooms and make sure Will is comfortable.

Will had always been the handsome type. He had an adorable face, a rather attractive build and black hair, which was sometimes curly after he washed it. I think Grandmother fancied him a little.

"Since when were you so polite?" I asked as Shane and Kevin ushered Will and I into the living room, Dad and Lucius behind us.

"You have to be really formal and shite to women at the Academy," he stated, looking around the lavishly decorated room with approval. "It sort of grows on you."

"I'll say..." Shane snorted, "You were never polite before..."

"I'm a gentleman now," Will insisted.

I tried very hard to keep my giggle in, but it managed to slip. He glanced over at me and smirked.

For the next four hours we sat talking to him about everything he had done at school, all the stupid stunts he had pulled, all the homework he got (which we sympathized with), but he seemed to have trouble telling us the last thing.

"Another time, I guess," he said as he drained his cup of tea. "Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy, that was wonderful. I should get going though... Don't want to stretch my ten minutes to the limit."

"Been there, done that," Dad grumbled, staring pointedly at his watch.

I rolled my eyes, "I'll walk you out."

"So when am I going to see you again?" I asked when we were finally alone at the door. He shrugged and pulled his jacket on, "I'm looking into some work at the moment... I'll owl you as soon as I can, I promise."

I nodded and smiled weakly, "I really missed you."

He leaned down and planted a kiss on my cheek, "Me too."

I flushed slightly and pulled him into a tight hug to avoid him seeing it, which failed to do the trick.

"You're cute when you blush," he whispered in my ear before pulling away, "I'll have to make you do it more often."

I smiled and chewed on my lower lip as he gave me another kiss on the cheek, then left.

"Oooh," Kevin cooed as he and Shane walked out of the living room laughing, "Loo's got a booooyfriiiieeend!"

"Shut up!"

"WILL AND LOOOO SITTIN' IN A TREE... K I S S I N G!"

"Shut up!" I growled, taking off after the pair of them, who had continued with, "FIRST COMES LOOOOVE THEM COMES MARRIAGE..."

I managed to catch Kevin before he scampered off into his room and gave him a good pounding.

"ELOISE!"

I stopped in mid-punch as Dad stormed up the stairs, "Let go of your brother!... Now!"

"He started it!" I shrieked, pushing Kevin away, "He and Shane tormented me the whole day! I deserve _some _payback sometime!"

"It's a disgusting way to do it," Dad snarled, "Fighting like Muggles... It's horrifying to the Malfoy name for you to even start with it!"

"Oh like you've never done it!" I spat, watching Kevin shoot a frightened look between the two of us and shut his door loudly behind him.

"I'm a boy though," Dad argued, "and I was reprimanded for it when I did fight like that!"

I rolled my eyes.

"Furthermore," he continued, "I don't want that boy back in this house-"

"Why not?" I demanded, "He was a perfect gentleman the whole evening!"

"It's not up for discussion, Eloise," he growled, "I won't have him in this house!"

"You take the over-bearing-father thing way too far," I hissed, pushing past him and slamming my bedroom door in his face, a few frustrated tears welling up.

* * *

"Very well handled, son," Lucius said softly as he watched Draco run his hands through his hair, a loud sigh escaping his lips. "You play a protective father very well."

"She hates me."

"She's a girl," Lucius stated the obvious, "Girls are moody - Ow."

Narcissa gave his arm a swift pinch as she walked past him on her way up to their bedroom on the fourth floor. He shot his wife a scowl, which she returned fiercely.

"Yeah but... I was sort of hard on her, wasn't I?" Draco muttered, looking at his father through tired eyes. Lucius almost pitied his son; the pair had been through a long day of meetings with Ministry officials, and they really didn't need this.

"Daddy?"

The wizards looked back to see Annie leaning out of her doorway, rubbing her eyes and her hair in small knots, "Why were you and Loo yelling?"

"Slight... uh... disagreement," Draco stammered. "Why are you up?"

"Clearly you woke her up with your brawl," Lucius chuckled, examining one of his nails, "I suggest you tuck her back in and go sleep. Night."

"Night, father."

As Lucius walked off, he heard Annie ask, "Can I have a story too? It makes me sleep better!" and Draco soft groan could be picked up as he sullenly agreed to read her whatever she picked.

Lucius smirked, then continued to climb up the stairway. He had his own problems to worry about.

Narcissa was fawning over that handsome young man all evening; offering him cookies and tea and such. Lucius was a ... possessive man, to put it nicely, but he would never admit he was jealous.

Never.

Because Malfoys do not show weak emotions like jealousy.

Narcissa was washing her face when he entered their rather small bedroom, by Lucius' standards anyway. Narcissa insisted on giving Draco the bigger room on the third floor, while he and his wife move upstairs into the 'cozier' room. He liked this room a little better, but only a little. His belongings didn't all fit in this room, so they ended up being spread all over the household.

"Did you send Draco to bed?" Narcissa inquired, switching off the light to the bathroom and sitting on the bed. He watched her perform her nightly routine of letting her hair down and begin rubbing some creams on her arms, "Lucius? He looked horrid... Is he-"

"He's reading to Annie, then I think he'll toddle off to sleep," Lucius said. His wife seemed satisfied and said nothing more for a moment, but he knew more was coming.

"Darling if you are going to tell me off, please, don't keep me in suspense," he sighed as he began to undress.

Narcissa let out a huff and glared at him, "I've had enough of this 'she's a girl' nonsense. Lucius, all teenagers are moody, boys just as much as girls. Can't you remember when Draco was their age? How much the two of you bickered over the stupidest things? I never brushed it aside as it just being what men do... You cannot and will not do that to Eloise when she fights with Draco. Either side of the fight is to blame, not one."

He leaned against the writing desk, clad in only his pajama pants, a smirk on his face, "Finished?"

She looked him over for a moment, then nodded, "Yes, I've said everything I need to. Good night."

She tucked herself into bed and rolled over, her back facing him.

"Am I getting the silent treatment too?" he chuckled softly as he climbed into bed on her side, running his hands over her curves slowly.

Narcissa groaned with annoyance and sat up, swatting his hands away, "No. Why would you ask?"

"You still find me attractive, right?"

He couldn't believe he had just uttered those words, but he just wanted to make sure.

Narcissa looked him over for a moment, then giggled and planted a firm kiss on his lips, "Of course... I wouldn't stay here if I didn't."

"It's just... you were very flirty with that... boy-"

"Lucius," Narcissa said, her tone riddled with mock scolding, "I thought you knew me better," she climbed onto his lap, "I was being a good hostess... But if it made you that jealous..."

"I'm not jealous, dearest," Lucius insisted, grabbing her hips and rolling her over onto her back, "I was just... curious."

"Oh," Narcissa said dramatically, nodding her head. "Right... Curious."

He raised an eyebrow and his eyes suddenly widened as he felt his wife slide her hand down his waist line, a coy grin on her face.

"Devilish little witch," he growled, using his wand to flick off the lights and lean down, ramming his lips into hers.

* * *

Draco had decided to have a hot shower before he ventured up off to bed. He found it always helped him sleep better after tiring days at work. Today had been no different. There were so many people pushing him to get things done, and to do this for that person, and make sure he got what he asked for... the demands were never ending. Home was normally the place where he could rest, but now he had witty daughters and sons to try and deal with. He felt a great deal of thankfulness wash over to his parents for helping him out. There was a sudden crash from the kitchen downstairs and a sharp cry from a little voice which sounded a great deal like Annie.

Cursing, Draco threw on a t-shirt and hurried down to the kitchen, only to find Annie standing over a broken glass and Kevin drying everything up with a towel.

"H-Hi daddy," Annie cooed. "It wasn't my fault... Kevin pushed me!"

"What? Did not!"

"It's almost midnight," Draco groaned. "Why are you up?"

Why Annie hadn't fallen asleep after his very lively reading of Henry the Hungry Hippo was completely beyond him.

"Annie got thirsty and she was too scared to come down here alone," Kevin explained, "and a house elf must have walked down the hall, because she saw a shadow and jumped... Hence the broken glass."

Draco groaned and brought out his wand, which he had grabbed before rushing downstairs, and cleaned up the mess instantly.

"Everything all right?"

The party looked back to the doorway to find a very annoyed Lucius Malfoy, clad in a bathrobe.

"Broke a glass," Draco said, summing everything up. "It's fine."

Lucius let out a grumble, "Well that wasn't worth coming down for..."

"Mum made you come, didn't she?" Draco chuckled, knowing how forceful his mother could get when she wanted something.

"Yes," Lucius snarled, "and we were in the middle of something..."

He cleared his throat and suddenly tightened his bathrobe.

Draco frowned and looked his father over. He only wore a bathrobe when he and his mother were...

"Ew!"

His son must have been thinking along the same lines, since his face wrinkled up too, "Ewww..."

Lucius glared at the both of them and Draco returned it with a smirk, "Guess I won't be the only one with nightmares tonight, eh mate?"

Kevin nodded and shivered noticeably. Annie stomped her foot, "What happened... Did something scary happen!"

"Nothing you should worry about," Lucius said sharply, cutting off both Draco and Kevin's explanation. "Off to bed, all of you."

Draco hoisted his daughter up onto his hip and she wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder contently.

"Night, sir," Kevin muttered, hurrying past Lucius.

Draco grinned, "You've scarred my son... Nicely done father."

"Go to bed," Lucius snapped in a tone that made Draco nearly run past him and up towards the upper floors to deposit Annie and head to bed.

He hated how his father had that tone... But now he had something to use against him tomorrow morning at breakfast.


	7. Bo Bice Dice Splice

**-INSERT REGULAR DISCLAIMER HERE- **

"What do you want?" Dad asked, a confused look on his face. He was in his study with Lucius and hunched over some papers, staring at my siblings and I through slightly glared eyes.

"A trampoline!" Kevin repeated. I rolled my eyes. Kevin never really picked up on the subtle hints in life, like the fact neither Dad or Lucius had any idea what a trampoline was.

"It's this thing you bounce on," I said, summing my knowledge of the Muggle contraption, "and it's so much fun..."

"If it's something that falls under the category of Muggle," Lucius said coldly, "I won't have it on my property, unless it fits in your little room."

Shane's jaw dropped, "But sir... Trampolines are massive!"

"Then no."

I glared at Lucius; he always had to ruin everything! We'd been living in this... castle for almost two weeks now, and any time we'd ask Dad for something, he'd cut him off and tell us No. I wonder how Grandmother manages to put up with him.

"Actually, father," Dad said strongly after clearing his throat, "if it gives them something to do... Why not?"

"Because it's Muggle filth," Lucius snapped, glaring at Dad, who rolled his eyes.

"Father, this will keep them out of your hair."

Lucius looked over at us and his eyes wandered over to Kevin, who was poking one of the hanging plants with much interest. I held on a snort.

"Fine..." Lucius grumbled, going back to his papers, "Fine. But pray tell where you are going to get this... thing?"

We all exchanged nervous looks and Shane spoke up, "We sort of... already ordered a Muggle taxi to take us downtown... and we'd get it at one of the malls there."

"A what?"

"A taxi," Kevin groaned. I can imagine he is wondering why no one can hear us speaking today. My brother can be clueless sometimes.

"It's a ... car that takes you around," I explained awkwardly. "We can't Floo in because there are no fireplaces... And none of us are allowed or know how to Apparate yet."

Annie groaned beside me, "It's a big yellow car that takes us places. I think it should be blue, but no one ever listens to me. SO. Now that you know what it is we can go."

"What makes you think you're coming?" Kevin demanded, crossing his arms, "The last time we went to the mall you stayed in that ruddy Barbie store for almost two hours."

"It was PRETTY!"

"It was pink..."

"I just pretended it was BLUE!"

Dad groaned softly and his head fell in his hands. Lucius sneered at my brother and sister and I pinched Kevin to shut him up.

"You may go," Lucius sighed, "but we will accompany you."

Dad shot his father a wide eyed stare and Annie squealed happily, "Yeay! Daddy you'll like the mall... It has the best food..."

Annie enjoyed the fine dining of McDonalds from time to time, loving each and every Happy Meal toy she got.

"Hey, it's your funeral," Shane chuckled. "You two want to be surrounded by Muggles and cramped into a taxi... Fine by us. We'll call you when the taxi gets here."

We turned and left, leaving Dad and Lucius in hushed conversations. I guess Lucius wanted to come with us to make sure we didn't... over spend? Who knows.

"Loo where are you going?" Kevin demanded as I hurried off to my room.

I looked over my shoulder and replied, "To get changed."

"Why?"

He must have drunk a Clueless Potion this morning or something.

"I'm not going to a mall dressed like this," I snapped. There could be guys there! Good looking Muggle guys who have every right to check me out. I grinned at the thought.

Kevin groaned loudly, "You look fine."

"Do not... I'm in grubs!"

I shut myself up in my room and dawned a very nicely shaped pair of pale jeans, a sleeveless black top, and a thin, black jacket to cover it, which I ended up rolling the sleeves up to my elbows. Then I pulled my long hair back into a high ponytail and applied some make up.

"TAXI'S HERE!"

"COMING!" I shouted, gabbing my purse filled with Muggle money and hurrying down the stairs.

"Why'd you change?" Shane inquired as he slipped into his shoes, looking me over, "Weren't you already dressed?"

"I'm going to the mall," I snapped. He and Kevin looked at each other and I moaned, "I want to look like I can fit in to society. God you two are clueless."

"Why did you change, Eloise?" Dad inquired as he and Lucius came down the stairs, dressed in suitable Muggle clothes. They gave off the impression of rich Muggles, but they'd blend well.

I stared at Dad in annoyance, "Because I'm going _shopping_."

"... So?"

"Women and girls alike find it a necessity to make themselves look nice when going out in public," Lucius explained as he slid his wand into his inside jacket pocket.

"Thank you," I sighed, glaring at my brothers. "None of you understand the female species."

Shane rolled his eyes and Kevin grinned, "I know the female species plenty... If you know what I mean."

I stared at him for a moment, "Ugh..."

Annie finally came stumbling down the stairs, clad in a blue pair of jeans, like mine, and a blue sweater.

"Let's go, let's goooo..." she whined, grabbing Dad's hand and dragging him towards the door.

"Annie likes the mall," Shane explained quietly to Lucius as Kevin and I hurried out after Dad and Annie.

"She truly is a Malfoy," Lucius murmured.

Annie had a weird obsession for shopping. She was the true girlie girl of the family, other then the fact she repulsed pink. Luckily, we asked for a large, roomy van type taxi, so we all managed to fit.

Hopefully. The driver got out quickly when he saw us and smiled, "So sorry I'm late, but I just had to stop and get myself some morning coffee... Well, gracious, looks like it's almost afternoon. Well aren't you adorable," he smiled down at Annie, who was trying very hard not to laugh, "Right. How many are we? We should fit."

He was gay. I could tell it right off the bat that he had a more feminine side then most men. I judged by his hand and how he spoke.

He pulled open the door and bowed, "And where are we all off to today? Family outing, how sweet!"

Lucius looked irritated by the man already, so I figured it should be me who'd step up and do all the talking.

"Yeah, back to school shopping," I chuckled, stepping in front of the male population of my group. "Bit clueless on where the malls and stuff are."

"Well... men can't help that," the driver sighed, looking over at Dad with sudden interest. I tried so hard not to burst out laughing as Dad's eyes widened.

"We want Hiltshire Mall," I explained. "Downtown one... It's got one of those large... uh... department stores?"

"Right right," the driver chuckled, "They have this nifty little shop that makes great cappuccinos... I think I have the name."

I smiled, "Great... Well... Get in."

Shane and Kevin climbed in first, taking up the farthest two seats, then Dad and Lucius clambered in to the middle seats and I sat in front.

"Where do I sit?" Annie whined, looking at all the taken seats.

"You can sit with me," Dad said awkwardly, shifting around to make some room on his seat. Annie climbed into the van and clambered up on his knee, looking very happy with herself. I doubt that's what Dad meant, but that's what he got.

* * *

Lucius couldn't believe he was spending time in a MUGGLE car with a Muggle and going to a mall where he would be surrounded by hundreds of Muggles. If Severus caught wind of the outing he would never live it down. Luckily, Narcissa was out visiting with her friends, and would never know about the trip. She had a tendency to gossip. Lucius had his own reasons for going along on this little trip with his four new grandchildren. He wanted Draco to get closer to them. After all, he was their father, and he had been spending a lot of time at work lately. But, he knew his son. And his son felt very uncomfortable alone with four strong minded children, so Lucius figured it would be best if he was there for moral support. The boys were in the back seat, speaking rapidly about Quidditch statistics, occasionally making fun of a Muggle or two that was walking down the busy streets of Hiltshire.

Lucius had been here often in the past. Just because he loathed Muggles, didn't mean he would not take advantage of their fine restaurants when he wanted to treat his wife. It was one of the more... upscale Muggle villages he had seen around his home. The houses were all done up wonderfully, much like his Manor, and people dressed like the proper aristocrats they were. His grandchildren, however, seemed to stand out when he looked them over.

Shane and Kevin were both in 'shorts' that went absurdly below their knees, and baggy tshirts with rubbish like 'No Fear' and 'Billabong' written across them. Annie and her sister looked alike in jeans and ponytails in their blonde hair, but Annie's top was conservative, while Eloise's left little to the male imagination when it came to her cleavage.

He would have to speak to his wife about that... Maybe she could help Eloise dress properly.

The Muggle taxi pulled to a stop and Lucius made haste to get out of the perfumed smelling vehicle and away from that horrid Muggle music playing from the radio.  
Yes, yes he knew what a radio was. Lucius Malfoy was not as clueless as people thought.

Draco, however, was not as accustomed to Muggle ways of life, and as he stepped out onto the curb by the large mall, he looked much like a lost little sheep. Once Eloise had paid the driver, the entire group began to walk in, but Eloise dropped down suddenly beside Lucius. He frowned and looked down just to see she was tying her shoe. Kevin waited beside his sister, while Shane caught a look from Lucius and went to rescue Draco from his smallest daughter's clutches.

There was a whistle suddenly and Eloise stood up, glaring at the pair of teenagers sitting atop rather old looking motorbikes.

"You interested in a ride, gorgeous?" one called, much to Lucius's annoyance.

Muggle's clearly had no idea how to woo a woman, or treat her with respect for that matter.

He found his hand reaching for his wand. It was a typical reaction to getting rid of pests, but Eloise just rolled her eyes.

"Not on that small piece of equipment," she replied back loudly, glaring.

"Oi... Don't insult the bike."

"Both you and I know neither of us were talking about the bike," she spat, turning on her heel with a satisfied smile on her face. "Shall we go in?"

"Nicely done, Loo," Kevin chuckled, nudging her with his elbow as the pair walked slightly ahead of Lucius.

He sneered at them. _Loo_ was something else he would have to change. It made his granddaughter sound like she was a toilet every time her brothers talked to her. It was very disrespectful.

The three of them stepped into the mall, and instantly Lucius was hit with everything Muggle. From the music playing on the overhead system, to the smells coming from the fast food vendors, to all the Muggles walking around him. He spotted his son looking disgusted while Annie and Shane spoke about something.

"Look at Dad's face," Kevin sniggered. "Looks like he's going to hurl."

Lucuis gave him a bit of a shove forward, which shut him up quickly.

It would have been a lot easier raising children that were very young, maybe if they were all Annie's age. That way their minds could be taught how and what to think. At this age, however, they had their own beliefs, especially Shane.

He was getting better at not snapping at Lucius, but the wizard knew troubling times would be ahead with the teen.

"Right..." Shane said firmly, taking charge of the situation, "Kev, me and Loo-"

"Eloise, Kevin and I," Lucius corrected, looking down his nose at his grandson, who's eye twitched when he was interrupted.

"Yeah..." Shane grunted, "Are going to go make this quick and pick up the trampoline. There's a coffee shop just down to the left where we can meet you as soon as we pick up what we need."

"Why can't I come?" Annie demanded, giving Shane a pinch on the leg, "I never go anywhere."  
"You walk too slow," Kevin snapped, rolling his eyes.

Eloise shot him a narrowed glare and bent down to face level with her sister, "Stay here with Daddy and ... Grandfather, and we promise you can be the first person to go on the trampoline, ok?"

"Promise?"

Promise," Eloise said soothingly, winking.

Lucius had to admit, Eloise was very good at handling her sister.

"Well..." Draco stuttered, trying to sound authoritive, "Don't be gone too long. And... don't get something that will break so we'll need to come back and get another one."

Lucius made eye contact with his son and they both shared a private smirk, Draco's less of a confident smirk then Lucius.

When Draco was younger, maybe six, he made a huge fuss about buying a racing broom to use around the property. Of course, Narcissa was horrified with the thought of Draco whizzing around fifty feet in the air and forbid Lucius from purchasing his son a broom. Torn between his son's whining and his wife's nagging, Lucius gave in to the lesser of the two evils and bought his son a broom of his choice. Draco was very specific about getting the broom of his choice, even though Lucius suggested a different one. Draco had a small fit in the store when Lucius tried to force his choice on to the small boy, and eventually just gave up and bought Draco whichever broom he wanted.

It broke the next day and Draco managed to break his arm from falling. Narcissa punished Lucius and made him sleep on the couch for almost a week for not listening to her, and he was then forced to go buy Draco a different broom to keep his son from moaning anymore.

He did not wish to relive the experience of shopping for something he had already purchased again.

"Don't worry, Dad," Kevin laughed. "We'll get the best quality. Most expensive."

"We will _not_," Eloise spat. "Not while I have to pay for it... We're getting a cheap, but good quality one."

"Nothing cheap is ever good quality," Kevin stated.

Eloise opened her mouth, but Shane cut her off, "We'll see you all in about a half an hour. Here's some Muggle money-"

"No need," Lucius said coolly, "I have Muggle money. Go and be quick."

The three of them shot off into the crowd of Muggles and were soon gone from sight.

"If we were going to let them go off on their own," Draco snapped. "Why did we come?"

Lucius raised an eyebrow at his son's tone, then looked down at Annie, who was picking at her nails.

"Oh. Right."

"Are we going to stand here all day?" Annie asked suddenly, "Let's go do something."

She let out an annoyed huff and tapped her foot impatiently.

"Yes..." Draco said nervously, "Do you want to go for a drink... A hot chocolate or something I mean."

"No, Daddy," Annie replied gently, as though she was fussing over a baby, "we came to a mall... We should go shopping!"

"But-"

"Yes, Draco," Lucius chuckled, an amused grin on his face, "your baby wants to shop. Go buy her something nice, then come find me at the cafe."

"Father," Draco hissed through gritted teeth.

Lucius just grinned and handed him some Muggle money, "Splurge on your daughter."

Annie gave Lucius a thick hug around the waist, then grabbed Draco's hand, dragging him off.

Lucius stood in slight shock. None of his grandchildren had hugged him yet...

It was a nice feeling.

* * *

Draco silently cursed his father for sending him on a lone shopping spree with his youngest daughter. Annie apparently hadn't noticed his nervousness and babbled on about how nice the mall was and that she wanted to go buy a new dress.

"Merlin," Draco muttered as Annie pulled him into an expensive dress shop for toddlers, "she's just like mum..."

Growing up, he had watched his mother buy expensive clothes made from the finest silks, much to his father's discontent. He hoped Annie wouldn't always be like that.

"Daddy," Annie moaned, tugging on his sleeves, "did you hear me?"

"Sorry, Daddy was daydreaming," he chuckled. "What did you say, Pumpkin?"

He liked calling her that. It made her feel like she was his daughter... More than she was.

"Do you think this dress goes pretty with my hair?" she inquired, holding up a poofy blue piece of fabric in front of her body, smiling angelically.

"Why are all of your things blue?" he inquired, "Don't you like any other colours?"

"Blue looks pretty on me," Annie snapped, raising her eyebrow, "Mummy said blue goes nice with blonde hair."

"Your mummy was right," Draco agreed, "But... I know another colour that would look beautiful on such a pretty little girl."

"Really?"

Draco grinned. He knew how to draw attention from the ladies, even if they were miniature ones. Flattery goes a long way with witches. He walked over to a rack with a bunch of green dresses, none of which had the poofy mess of frills that Annie's blue dress had. Most were very long, and somewhat elegant looking for a five year old.

"That's a pretty colour," Annie admitted, pinching the material, "and it's very soft..."

"I think a certain young witch would look very pretty in it," he whispered as she took it off the rack and toddled over to the mirror, getting a look at herself.

"I look nice Daddy... Can I have it?"

"Of course, sweetheart," Draco answered, almost melting at the look his daughter had sent him. "You can have anything you want..."

He couldn't refuse her anything! She just looked so adorable!

After about forty minutes, Draco was at the cash, paying the Muggle woman the money for the seven new dresses Annie had found, all in different hues of green.

"Now I like blue AND green," she confessed, grabbing the one sweater he had purchased her and replacing her blue one with it.

Draco was rather proud of himself. He had gotten Annie into his Slytherin colour without so much as a small peep. He added a point to the overall score of things, then led Annie out of the shop, off to find his father at the Muggle cafe.

* * *

"He's sooo adorable," I cooed.

We hadn't made it past the pet shop, and had sadly been sitting in a pen full of puppies for the past half an hour after we had left Dad and Lucius. All of my family had been animal people. We had a few cats when we lived with mum, and I remember us having a dog when Shane and I were much younger.

There had been a little German Shepard pup that had ceased to leave us alone the entire time we sat in with all the puppies, and I think we've all fallen in love with him.

"We may not be able to keep him," the store keeper confessed. "He doesn't do well with the other dogs unless there are humans around. They all pick on him."

"He does look sort of runty," Shane admitted, rubbing the dog's back softly.

The store keeper nodded and sighed, "We may have to send him someplace else if we can't find him a home. No one wants a runt."

That sold us.

Within seconds, I was forking over enough money to pay for the dog, plus buy us a crate, a leash, some food, a dog dish and a few chew toys. It really only hit us the minute we were out of the store with a puppy in a crate that we had to explain to Lucius we were bringing something else into his house.

"You two go first," Shane whispered as we spotted Dad, Lucius and Annie seated at a circular table outside of Starbucks, sipping happily on their drinks. "If he freaks out... Well... At least Bo won't hear it."

That's what we decided to name him. Bo.

Somehow it just fit.

Kevin and I slowly walked up, saintly expressions on our faces.

"Where is your brother?" Dad said instantly, noticing Shane wasn't with us.

I opened my mouth sweetly, ready to explain, but Kevin suddenly burst out, "Annie... You aren't in blue..."

I looked over at my sister and my eyes widened, "You... You're in green!"

Annie hadn't worn anything but blue for ages now! What... What happened!

"I suggested green also looked nice and she agreed," Dad explained, a smug smirk on his face, "but seriously, where is your brother?"

Kevin and I looked at each other and he stared at me pointedly. I sighed, "We bought something... um... other then the trampoline."

Lucius looked up from his coffee, an eyebrow raised, "And what would that be?"

"Well..." I sighed, trying to break it to him gently, "It has four legs, a tail and says woof?"

"A PUPPY?" Annie squealed, standing up quickly, "Where! Where is he!"

"You bought a dog...?" Dad said slowly in disbelief, "An animal? What happened to wanting a trampoline!"

Shane slowly walked in on the scene, the small dog crate under his arm. Annie hurried around the table and peered into the cage, squealing when Bo licked her fingers.

"Dogs chew and destroy everything," Lucius spat, "I-"

"We'll take all blame if he does something," Shane said firmly, "and... We'll train him and completely look after him, we promise... And- ... Annie... you're... you're in green."

"Doesn't it go nicely with my hair?" she asked, flicking some blonde curls behind her shoulder, "What's his name?"

"Bo."

"How common," Lucius murmured, taking another sip out of his coffee.

"So can we keep him?" Kevin asked slowly.

Lucius and Dad looked at each other, then back to us, and as if on a cue, we all tilted our head to the side, "Pleeease?"

We had perfected that art a long time ago. All four of us would tilt our head to the right, dawn totally innocent expressions, and whine.

Works like a charm.

"When your Grandmother has a fit about that thing chewing her antique furniture, do not come crying to either of us," Lucius stated. My jaw almost dropped when I saw him let out a rare smile as he looked our new little puppy over from a distance.

I knew it... Our charms gets us what we want, whenever we want it.


	8. Whip Cream Pranks

**-insert disclaimer here-**

Draco scuttled around his small, private office, filing away from papers he had finally finished reading over. His job was one of importance to the Dark Lord at the Ministry, which would explain why he had his own office with a window, and the others had smaller cubicles outside. It would also explain why he had the perfect secretary, and the others did not. In Draco's seventh year at school, he made an extreme effort to bring all of his marks up to O's, in every class. It caused him to close himself off from many of his housemates, but he wanted to prove to Lord Voldemort that he can accomplish difficult tasks with ease. He also made sure his dueling skills were up to par, which gave him advantages during the second battle against the Order of Phoenix.

He remembered that battle... Shane was born half-way through it, and his wife had to hide herself away in Liverpool with her relatives to stay safe.

Draco looked around his well furnished office and smiled; he was important to the Dark Lord. The smile faltered slightly when he realized he had four children to cope with at home, as well as the sniveling colleagues he dealt with daily.

"Mr. Malfoy?"

The alluring voice was followed by a soft tap on his half opened door. He turned back and spotted Glenda Applegate, a leggy young blonde who had joined a year ago to help out around the Ministry. Draco had no idea what her job actually was, since all he had seen her do was sit on men's desk with that damn short skirt of hers hitched up to her waist.

"Can I help you, Miss Applegate?" Draco asked formally, still trying to shove a few papers into his overflowing folders, "I apologize if I sound rude, but I am in a bit of a hurry today."

"This won't take long," she laughed, flicking her blonde hair behind her shoulder and sauntering over to her desk. "Avery wants you to sign these."

Draco shot an annoyed look over to some of the contracts on his desk, and noticed they were merely contracts of importing office supplies, "I'm really not in charge of this."

"I was told to give them to you," she whispered, "and not leave until everything is... taken care of."

Draco's head snapped up and she smirked coyly, then nodded down to the papers. Growling, Draco snatched a quill from his desk and bent over, signing his name roughly on the dotted lines.

"Does he think I'm an idiot?" Draco hissed under his breath, "Putting an 'X' beside the Sign Here... Honestly."

He suddenly felt a pair of fingers trail up his back and he froze.

"Miss Applegate, I'd kindly request you don't touch me," he said firmly, continuing the signing of his name on various pages of the thick document.

"I think you rather like it," she breathed in his ear, his eyes widening a bit more as her small hand trailed down to his behind and gave it a small pinch, which made Draco yelp.

"Miss Applegate!"

She grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, pressing her hips into his and running her hands along his chest, clasping the end of his tie, "Don't act so surprised... You've been hitting on me for months."

"I... I was being polite to you," he stammered, "I wasn't hitting on you!"

"I know how men flirt!" she giggled, leaning up and planting a few soft kisses on his neck, "What do you say to that, Mr. Malfoy?"

"I'd say I have four children who I love very much," he choked awkwardly.

Her grip suddenly weakened and she glared up at him, "What?"

"I'm married with children," he confessed.

To his shock, she pulled away and hit his chest sharply, "Where the bloody Hell is your wedding ring then!"

"It's complicated, and none of your business," he snapped, trying not to sound rude. Malfoy men could never really be rude to women... It was just a rule his father had enforced on him for years.

"You're a pig," she spat, snatching away the contracts, which Draco had yet to finish signing, and stormed out of the room.

Draco stared at the slammed door for a moment or two in shock, and he felt his head start to pound. Leaning against his desk, he massaged his temples lightly, then decided he had finished enough work for one day. It was almost two, and he wanted to get home to see his children. He planned to ask Shane to go flying with him, and Kevin, if he was interested. He wished to see how good the boys were.

After grabbing his traveling cloak and briefcase, he stepped out of his office and into the eyes of his elderly secretary, Lynn Ovris. She raised an eyebrow and he felt his face tinge, "She... came on to me."

"Mm hm," she chuckled, pushing her glasses back up her nose, "You have a message from your mother... more of a Howler that I listened to. I hear your children bought a dog."

He grinned sheepishly. His mother had spent the night at her sister's to help with the redecorating of her house, and Draco had left before she returned home. He suddenly felt a great wave of pity for his father, who would have been forced to deal with his mother's wrath face to face.

"Yeah, a little German Shepard," he stated, grinning. "Mum's going to have a fit when he chews on her antique chairs."

"Shall I alert St. Mungos that they may have a long term patient then?" she inquired playfully.

Draco adored his secretary. She fit so nicely with his family, and his mother simply loved having her over for tea. She wasn't snooty or dull, like Lord Voldemort's was, nor was she young with her chest barely contained in her shirt, like Vincent Crabbe's was. She was perfect.

"Not at the moment," he chuckled, "I will tell father to tell you if I'm beyond repair."

She grinned as he nodded good bye, and continued along to the building's Apparating point.

* * *

Draco stepped into the Manor and was instantly greeted with the light, but loud barks of the newest member of the Malfoy household.

"Draco!"

He cursed the small dog quietly, for now his mother knew he was home. He stood respectively by the door as she strode out, her eyes telling how displeased she was with him.

"You let them buy a dog?" she hissed, "A dog that chews and digs up flowers!"

"They bought it without me knowing," he said calmly, trying to hold back the smirk on his face, "and they seem to like it."

"Yes," she sighed, "Annie seems to be smitten with it."

"DADDY!"

Draco looked up to the large staircase and spotted his youngest daughter hurrying down, her hair in large pigtails which bobbed behind her.

"You're early," she squealed, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. "Grandfather said you'd come home later."

"I finished early today, Pumpkin," he laughed, "so I decided to come home. Where're your brothers and sister?"

Annie rolled her eyes, "Kevin and Loo are on the computer playing Worms, and Shane is outside polishing his broom... So me and Bo-"

"Bo and I, dearest," Narcissa corrected, smiling warmly at her granddaughter.

"Yeah," Annie said, "yeah, we were playing in my room, and he heard you come home and wanted to see you too!"

Draco looked down at the little dog who had taken a seat near Annie's feet. He smirked and the dog wagged his tail slowly.

"Bo likes you," Annie stated, patting the small dog on the head, "but we're going to finish playing... Come along, Bo."

Draco watched his daughter scuttle up the stairs with the puppy at her heels. He glanced over at his mother with raised eyebrows, "Come along, Bo? Come along? Mother, what have you been teaching her?"

"Don't give me that, Draco," she said dismissively, turning back to the sitting room, "I said it to her once and she's taking a liking to saying it. Darling little thing..."

"Where's father?"

"Off to the office, I think... For lunch with Avery and Knott."

Draco nodded and marched up to his room, finally relieving himself of his damn tie and work clothes, then replacing them with something more comfortable. Peering out his window, he spotted Shane sitting under an oak tree, rubbing a cloth along the handle of his broom. Draco smiled, remembering the countless summer afternoons he had spent when he was younger trying to make his broom as clean as it could be. He made his way outside, only after saying a quick hello to Eloise and Kevin in the Muggle Room. He managed to give Eloise a kiss on the head without causing too much of a startle. Kevin didn't seem to happy about it, but he said nothing. They were playing a war game on some... contraption.

Annie had called it something that started with a C, but Draco couldn't remember it.

"Hey," Shane greeted as Draco got closer. He watched the boy's eyes light up when he spotted Draco had a broom in his hand.

"Afternoon, son," Draco said, his voice deepening slightly, "Care to go for a ride?"

"Just the two of us?"

"It'll give us some time to talk." Draco added, "Without my father listening in."

Shane grinned, "That'd be a nice change."

* * *

Draco smirked and the pair mounted their brooms, then pushed off, the ground slowly fading away.

"The grounds are always good for a chat," Draco said loudly over the winds, "Come along... I want to talk."

They flew at a slow pace, making a few small circles, then taking off towards the lake.

"What do you want to talk about?" Shane asked, raising an eyebrow, "I thought we got through your question and answer thing from before, no problem."

"I just want us to talk," Draco confessed. "You're my oldest... You're going to be the head of the Manor when you marry... I just want to know you."

"Know me? As in...?"

"As in, tell me about everything. About your brother and sisters... And ... your mother."

"Thought you'd know enough about mum," Shane hissed coldly. "You were with us until Kevin, weren't you?"

"I meant after," he stated, not looking at the boy. "Listen. I felt horrible for leaving her, since I loved her very much... But... We had fought for a while... And once she told me to get out, so I stayed out."

Shane remained silent.

"I knew she hadn't meant it... But I couldn't go back and face her," Draco admitted shamefully. "How was she afterwards?"

"I wasn't that old," Shane said, "I remember her crying a lot. Me and Loo didn't really get what was going on. We just wondered why you didn't come home from work one day... Then we just sort of... forgot you. We knew we had a dad out there, but you never did anything with us. Except when you came to see mum once... You remember? We weren't home... I think we were at Grandma's... And... nine months later Annie was born, but still we didn't have you. I was about ten then... I knew something was wrong. Kevin thought it was some kind of magic trick that mum could have Annie without having a husband."

Draco snorted.

"But other than that... Mum just... went about her life, I guess. She worked for the Ministry..."

Draco sighed. He had missed her so much... There had been so many endless nights where his mind would wander to her, curious about whether she thought of him.

"Tell me about the other three," Draco said after a moment of silence, "I'm curious about your take on them."

"Well... Loo and I are close... But I think we all are. Loo had to grow up fast, since she was the only girl out of the three of us for a long time, and by the time we had Annie in the house she was ready to look after her. Kev's runs on sarcasm spells from time to time, and liked to give mum cheek. I'd usually... uh... give him a good pounding after, and would tell him to leave mum alone, but he still liked having a go at her. Annie sucks up to everyone anywhere anytime because she knows she can wrap people around her little finger. And me... I'm the oldest."

"That you are," Draco chuckled. "So now I expect Eloise to step aside and you to look after your siblings."

Shane made a face, "I do-"

"I know," Draco said, smirking, "but... My family has tradition. Men are to be polite in front of women, and cunning with the men. They are to be formal when in public, and they are to respect anyone older then them. I want you to try it, Shane. I know the rules sort of... blow," his lame attempt at a teenage word seemed to actually work, "but my father will not leave you alone until you are a clone of himself, as I am."

"I don't think you're a clone," Shane stated as the pair slowly started to turn back towards the house, "I like you better then him."

Draco felt a warm feeling move through his body, and a genuine smile drifted across his lips, "Glad to hear it. Now, come. Let's see these flying skills I've heard so much about from Annie... Care for a race?"

* * *

"Where's Shane?" I asked as I settled down at the dinner table, noticing immediately that my older brother was missing.

"I do believe he is with your father," Grandmother stated, helping Annie place her napkin on her lap gracefully.

I swear, Annie is a sponge. She is soaking up everything Grandmother does!

"Lucius-"

"Don't look at me," Lucius grunted, helping himself to some cooked carrots, "I only just arrived."

"Yes, I noticed," Grandmother clucked. "You spent quite a while at the office."

"I was having a chat to Lynn about Draco," Lucius chuckled. "It seems a woman from the office made a move on him today."

I snorted into my drink and I could tell by Kevin's expression he was biting his lips to keep from laughing.

"Lucius!" Grandmother gasped, "Is that really dinner conversation?"

"You inquired as to my absence," Lucius said calmly, a grin playing on his face. "Do you want to know what happened, or not?"

Grandmother pressed her lips together, then sighed, "Do tell."

"It appears a young woman by the name of Applegate took a liking to Draco," Lucius chuckled. "The young witch came in to ask him and sign some contracts...She attempted to woo him in his office... He actually told her he had kids who he loved, causing her to slap him and leave."

Kevin, seemingly, could no longer hold it in, and burst out laughing at my end of the table. Lucius, to my surprise, smirked and went on with his meal, chatting to Grandmother about this and that around the Ministry. My mind, however, stayed on that one statement. Some hot girl hit on dad, and he said he had KIDS who he LOVED? It was difficult to believe, but I had my doubts that Lucius would make something up like that. Maybe we mean more to dad then we think we do...

Either that or we were just an excuse to get rid of some pesky witch.

"Sorry we're late," Dad said loudly as he and Shane hurried into the dining room, both of their hair looking disheveled and their faces wind whipped.

Kevin recognized the look instantly and glared, "Why didn't you tell me you were flying?"

"You were doing something else, mate," Dad explained, shooting a pitiful look to his mum. "Sorry for being late, mother. We lost track of time."

Grandmother shot him a look that showed she was neither happy nor upset with his statement. She turned away from him and helped Annie with her meal.

Annie likes sitting between Lucius and Grandmother. I mean, Lucius sits at the head, but Annie is always at his right, and Grandmother beside her, then usually Kevin. Shane and I sit on the other side, and Dad normally sits at Lucius's left, but tonight he was seated between me and Shane, looking rather pleased with himself.

"So how was work today, Draco?" Lucius inquired lightly, raising an eyebrow, "Anything exciting happen?"

Dad swallowed his bite and shook his head, "No."

"Nothing at all, Dad?" Kevin continued, smirking slightly, "Have any meetings? Sign any _contracts_?"

Dad looked between Lucius and Kevin, then shook his head, "N-No, it was a rather boring day."

"At risk of changing the subject," I said loudly, catching on to what was happening. "You know what my favourite fruits are? Apples."

Dad cleared his throat, "Oh really?"

"Like the ones by the gate of the Manor?" Lucius asked, "I've always liked those myself."

"Yes," I chuckled, "the Apples by the Gate."

"All right, enough," Grandmother snapped. "Honestly. Lucius you shouldn't encourage this."

"We were having some fun, dearest."

"Father," Dad cut in, "did you happen to chat with my lovely secretary today?"

"I did, actually," Lucius answered, smiling. "She told me all about your day."

"Gossip travels, Dad," I sniggered, shooting him a coy look, "but just remember... We're the children that you love... We won't hold it against you for long."

Shane finally piped up, "Can someone tell me what the Hell is going on?"

"Language," Lucius scolded, "and your sister may tell you later. Enough of the matter... For now."

* * *

"Why can't I help?" Annie whispered as she stood with Kevin and Shane outside the parlor door, "I never get to do anything."

"Sssh," Kevin whispered, rolling his eyes, "me and Shane have to do this, and when we come running out of the room... You can run with us."

Shane grinned at his younger brother and held up the can of whip cream in his hand, "You ready?"

"As always."

Shane knew Loo and Lucius had gone into the parlor after dinner, and when he peeked in they were both reading something on opposite couches. When he checked back in later, it seemed that his sister had drifted off to sleep, and his Grandmother had joined Lucius on the couch, reading his book from over his shoulder.

"This is suicide," Kevin chuckled. "She'll skin all of us alive."

"Daddy will be mad if we get skinned," Annie muttered gravely.

Shane held in a snort as he noted the serious expression on his sister's face, then grinned as Kevin pulled out his own can of whip cream, "That's why I brought back up."

"Excellent."

"Wait here, Annie," Shane whispered as he and Kevin snuck into the parlor on tip-toes. His Grandmother looked up and let out a startled gasp, which made Lucius jump slightly. Both Shane and Kevin held their fingers over their lips meaningfully, then continued towards Eloise's sleeping form. Shane snuck around the front of the couch, smiling when he found her hand lying in the perfect position for the prank they were about to pull. He uncapped the whip cream and placed a huge glob of it in her open palm.

"Shane-" his grandmother hissed, but he heard Lucius hush for her to be quiet and read.

Shane looked up and spotted Kevin leaning over the couch from behind, a feather clamped in his hand.

"Oh honestly-"

"You may leave if you can't keep quiet," Lucius whispered, shutting Shane's grandmother up instantly. He heard her grunt, but say nothing more.

Shane joined Kevin behind the couch, since it would be the fastest way to the door, and watched with delight as his brother ran the feather along Eloise's cheek. She stirred lightly, but did nothing. Kevin twirled it around her neck, then back up to her cheek. Her free hand, which was covered in whip cream, suddenly came up and swatted at her face, causing whip cream to splat everywhere.

She let out a scream and he and Kevin high fived each other, causing Eloise to whip around.

"Tonight you both die!" she shrieked, leaping up and flinging herself around the couch.

"RUN!" Kevin screamed, grabbing Shane's arm and dragging them both out of the room.

Shane managed to get Annie's hand and they tore off into the house, Eloise close at their heels. They managed to spray her a couple more times with whip cream, but Shane knew she'd get them back later.

* * *

"AAAAAH!"

"RUN THIS WAY!"

"YOU STUPID PRATS!"

"DEAD END! DEAD END! RUN BACK!"

"AAAAAH!"

"WHY DO YOU HAVE TO TORTURE ME, EVEN WHEN I SLEEP!"

"GO KEVIN! THROUGH THAT DOOR!"

"IT'S LOCKED!"

"AAAAAAAH!"

"YOU ANNOYING FU- AAAA!"

"THAT'S RIGHT!"

"WE'VE GOT BACK UP!"

"BRING IT!"

"Lucius," Narcissa whispered, trying to stand up, "Shouldn't we do something?"

Lucius kept a firm pair of arms wrapped around his wife, who was struggling to her feet and pressed his lips next to her ear, "Let Draco handle this one."

"But-"

"Give it a minute," he chuckled, inhaling deeply. His wife smelled wonderful, and at the moment he did not want her to move from that spot.

"What... WHIP CREAM? UGH IT'S EVERYWHERE! WHAT ARE YOU FOUR DOING? YOUr GRANDMOTHER'S GOING TO SLAUGHTER ME WHEN SHE SEES THE FLOOR! Ugh... and... Ugh look at it! Go clean up..."

"And there we go," Lucius laughed. "Disaster averted by a Malfoy approach to things."

"He does sound like you," Narcissa giggled, finally settling down and resting her head back into his chest. "Do you remember when Draco came home one afternoon... He must have been about eight, and he was covered in mud and weeds... You nearly dropped everything you were holding in an attempt to save my floors from getting all mucked up."

"Well..." Lucius stated, "In my defense... He was disgustingly filthy, and you would have killed me if he tromped around everywhere."

"I wouldn't have killed you," she muttered. "Maybe tortured you a bit... But certainly not kill you."

"Well... I could never quite be sure," he murmured in her ear, planting a few soft kisses on her neck. "You're a very dangerous witch."

She moaned quietly and shut her eyes, "Don't you ever forget it, Lucius Malfoy."

"How can I, Narcissa Malfoy?" he chuckled, "You remind me constantly in your eyes."

Narcissa tilted her head up, and Lucius leaned his down, pushing his lips gently into hers.

It was a tender moment, the way they were sitting, and Lucius found no reason to spoil it with a harsh, rough kiss.

"AND THERE'S WHIP CREAM ON THE DOG? HOW... UGH."

Narcissa tried to pull away when she heard her son's voice closer to the door, but Lucius placed a gentle hand under her chin and kept her in place. He did not want anything to spoil the moment.

"Oh for Merlin's sake," Draco groaned. "The two of you can stop snogging-"

Lucius broke away and shot his son a glare, then growled, "Draco..."

"Well, I'm sorry, Father, but you could have gotten up to deal with all the whip cream everywhere," Draco grumbled.

Narcissa's eyes widened, "It's everywhere?"

"Everywhere," Draco confirmed, nodding his head. Narcissa rose quickly and hurried out of the room, summoning house elves with a worried expression on her face. Lucius shot his son a glare, who merely returned it with a triumphant smirk, then left.


	9. Natural Order

**-insert regular disclaimer here-**

It's such a joyous day.

Oh yes, we're sticking together with the whole family and shoving off to Gitersburgh Park to go for a walk, then to Diagon Alley for lunch with a few 'business associates' for Dad and Lucius. ... Which is code word for 'Death Eater's luncheon' to me.

I had dawned a knee length olive green skirt and a black tank top, and I swore I'd argue with Lucius if he makes me change AGAIN. He never really approves of anything I wear, and I usually look like a Muggle nun by the time he's finished with me. It's rather annoying, but I try to stay even with him. _Try_ would be the keyword.

Quickly, I pulled my hair back into a low ponytail and brushed on some pale, barely visible eye shadow. I've never really been a huge make-up person, since... Well growing up with two boys who make fun of every little thing you do sort of steered me away from experimenting with make-up.

I skipped down the stairs, my flat flip-flops beating against my feet on each step. I did a double check in my bag, which was a large square that hung over my shoulder (one strap) and smiled at the contents. Earlier I had stuffed a few magazines in there, along with my Muggle music player, sunglasses and one of the last cans of Muggle Root Beer.

The stuff is addictive! But, Kevin has been placed on a life ban of the drink, since he goes so hyper for a few hours after a sip of it, then he gets sick...

A fun day for us, not for him.

"Why can't Bo come?" Annie whined, holding our new puppy's leash in her hand, staring at Dad through pathetic, huge Bambi eyes.

"I... don't think dogs are allowed in the park," he lied. I have a feeling he just didn't want to end up looking after the little dog.

Bo let out a low whimper and slumped down at Annie's feet and she giggled, "But he's so SAD now!"

"Listen to your father, Annie," Lucius remarked, pulling on a pair of leather gloves with his snake-headed cane resting on the crook of his elbow.

I rolled my eyes, "Why can't we take him? We promise to watch him... You won't even notice he's there!"

Annie glanced back at me and smiled appreciatively, "See! SEE! Loo even thinks we should bring him."

Shane and Kevin suddenly came thundering down the stairs, a large bag under Shane's arm.

"What're you bringing?" I demanded, looking at the bulge in his green sports bag with a raised eyebrow.

"Football!" he exclaimed, "The park's perfect for it... Plus none of the wizards who want to challenge us'll know how to play it."

"What's football?" Grandmother inquired, quickly fixing her hair in the mirror, "Is it a Muggle game?"

"Yes," Shane and Kevin replied in unison, "but it's so much fun!"

Lucius made a face and opened his mouth, most likely to protest to use playing, but Grandmother hushed him quickly.

Annie stopped her foot, "Can we please bring Bo?"

"Of course, darling," Grandmother cooed, pulling Annie's hair back into a ponytail. "Why wouldn't we?"

"Grandfather and Father said we couldn't," Annie pouted, turning back to Grandmother with her lower lip sticking out slightly.

I snorted as Lucius rolled his eyes, "We'll be the ones looking after it, Narcissa."

"We'll look after him," I argued, snatching the leash away and attaching it to Bo's collar, then stuffing it back into Annie's hand. "She'll look after him."

Annie squealed happily, "You're going to the PARK, Bo!"

The small German Shepard stood and wagged his tail contently, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. I noticed Lucius making another face of disgust, but Grandmother sent him a very pointed look and he stopped.

"Right, is everyone set?" Dad inquired, drawing out a small wristwatch and extending his arm, "Touch the portkey then, let's go."

Everyone stepped forward, Annie clutching Bo's leash tightly, and put their finger on the watch.

Instantly our world began to spin, and we landed off in the middle of a grassy patch of land.

As we all gathered our bearings, I inhaled deeply and looked around, smiling. It was a typical park, there were a very random clots of trees, a pond far down the way, and little white stoned pathways leading in every single direction, casing in the patches of thick, green grass. We all headed towards one of the pathways, Annie grabbing Grandmother's hand, while Grandmother linked her arm with Lucius, smiling happily to herself. In front of them was Dad, Shane and Kevin, chatting quite rapidly about a recent Quidditch game they had read about in the paper a few days ago.

Don't get me wrong, I really like the game, but I'd rather not have it my conversation topic every second of my life.

"Loo," Annie whined, poking me with her thin little finger, "can you walk Bo... He goes too fast for..." she quieted her voice, "the old people."

I snorted loudly and Lucius shot Annie a look of disapproval, "I don't think we're that old, Annie."

Her eyes widened, clearly thinking she had been discreet enough, but she quickly looked over to him sweetly, "We are walking the slowest... I thought Bo would make you guys walk too fast."

I rolled my eyes and smirked as Grandmother giggled to herself.

"Well just for the record your Grandfather is older then I am," she stated, sending Lucius a wink. I shivered and grabbed Bo's leash from Annie, not quite in the mood to see my grandparents flirt. While Annie may not see it, it's hard at my age not to notice it. Bo tugged at his leash towards the grass, his nose to the ground, suddenly stopping and stuffing his nose harder against the soil, inhaling loudly.

"C'mon Bo," I grunted, giving his leash a tug. He jerked back up and continued along the way, pulling me ahead of Annie and up towards Dad.

"Bah that keeper's rubbish."

"But have you seen the team's beaters? The best I've ever seen?"

"Dad... Are you on crack? I've seen way better beaters!"

"No I am not on ... crack, thank you very much. But these two are the best!"

I groaned and allowed Bo to pull me ahead of the three of them, leaving them alone to babble on about Quidditch rubbish.

Bo's aching to run...

I felt bad, since we haven't really taken him out for a run much lately. We've had him for a few days, and we took him out about two days ago for a long run, and he was so tired, we thought he'd never get his energy back. He did. And he drives Lucius up the wall, since he will sometimes follow him everywhere he goes. If Lucius goes upstairs, Bo prances along after him, then follows him back down the stairs and will sit at his feet until Lucius goes somewhere else. I think I heard Grandmother telling him off to drawing his wand out on the dog, but I didn't see the whole thing.

I stuffed my hand into my bag and retrieved a tennis ball, which used to be Kevin's, but Bo seems to have taken a liking to it. I bounced it once on the ground and Bo was instantly jumping around my feet, trying to get the ball from my hand. I laughed and leaned down, letting him off the leash. When I did, he managed to jump even high in a desperate attempt to get the ball. I chucked it with all my might into the grass and he tore off after it, his pink little tongue lolling out.

"Bring it back, Bo!" I shouted when he finally picked it up. His head cocked to one side, but he stood his ground, not answering my command. I rolled my eyes and jogged off after him. As soon as I got close, he sped off to the walkway, running between Kevin and Shane's feet. When they noticed the ball in his mouth, they tried to get it back from the puppy, but he managed to evade them both and finally dropped it at Annie's feet, who looked discontent at the sight of the slobbery ball.

"He wants you to throw it, Annie," I stated, trying not to laugh as she stared at it in disgust.

"But he drooled all over it," she replied, wrinkling her nose. Kevin groaned and picked up the ball, then hurled it down the path, causing Bo to disappear in a blur.

"I was gonna do it!" Annie snapped, turning to complain to grandmother as we ran off after Bo.

"Should we find a tree?" Dad asked after a while. Lucius looked at the choices and pointed his cane towards a particularly large one. Annie seemed to love his cane, and even asked to hold it. He merely laughed and said she could once he had conjured up something for us all to sit on.

This must be a... Malfoy-type park, since all the families we'd seen sitting in the shade of the trees were seated on couches and had expensive rugs under their feet.

Don't they worry that the furniture will get ruined?

Lucius flicked his wand and a pair of three-seater couches appeared, along with two smaller chairs and a cooler, most likely filled with some cold drinks.

"Now can I hold it?" Annie asked, smiling when Lucius gently handed her the cane. She giggled and allowed herself to be led over to a couch, still completely in fascination with the cane. Instead of sitting with grandmother, she clambered over to Dad and settled up on his lap. He still seemed a little awkward, but he draped his arms around her and listened to her coo over the snake-head, gushing over its pretty green eyes. Lucius took a seat next to them, since grandmother had stretched out on the other couch, pulling out her wand and conjuring herself a book. It was in French, but I translated the title of the book to be 'Flaming Passion'.

Oh my.

I grinned, but kept it to myself as I pulled out my own wand and transformed one of the single chairs into a bean bag chair, something I had always found more comfortable than even the really cushy sofa-chairs.

"What in Merlin's name is that?" Lucius inquired, looking over the blob of material and small little beans with curiosity.

Kevin's head shot up, "BEAN BAG CHAIR!"

"Don't you dare!" I snapped, but he had already dove onto it. I rolled my eyes and walked over, giving him a swift kick in the back, "Move."

"What's the magic word?" he asked politely, looking up at me through a pair of snooty eyes.

I glared, "Now."

Dad snorted and Kevin quickly shimmied off.

Smirking, I plunked down into the chair, pulled out my sunglasses and a magazine, then shifted around the beans with my body until I was completely comfortable.

"C'mon Loo!" Shane called, pulling out a Frisbee from his bag, "Come have a game with us."

"Frisbee?" I asked, pulling my sunglasses down my nose and raising an eyebrow, "Do I have to?"

"Yes," Kevin laughed, "What's the point in going to a park if you don't play Frisbee?"

"What's Frisbee?" D.d asked, moving Annie around on his lap so she was leaning back against his chest, still twirling the long cane around between her palms.

"Watch and you'll get the hang of it," I sighed, rolling off the ben bag and tossing my magazine into it. "It's the simplest game in the world."

"You toss this around," Shane explained, wagging the Frisbee around before sending it smoothly over to Kevin, who caught it.

"It kinda flies on air..." Kevin agreed, sending it over to me.

I barely caught it with the tips of my fingers, "But as usual... These two get really competitive about the stupidest things... Like who throws the farthest or who makes the most catches."

"Just because your throws suck doesn't mean you have to blame it on us," Kevin snorted. "We're just better."

"Do you listen to yourself when you talk?" I demanded, winging the Frisbee over to him. He caught it and chucked it to Shane, who tossed it to me. We formed a triangle, which slowly grew over time, and continued on with our game.

After a good half an hour, I had had enough with their macho competitiveness getting at me, so I settled back down on my bean bag, flipping them both off behind me back.

"PUT THE BAD FINGER AWAY LOOOO..." Shane shouted, causing Annie's jaw to drop.

"Loo!" she hissed, "You're not supposed to use the bad finger!"

It took Lucius a few seconds to register what we were talking about and he scowled at me, making me shrug sheepishly, "They were bugging me."

"Learn to ignore them," he said firmly, turning back to his conversation with Dad. Annie seemed to be enjoying herself atop Dad's lap, and Bo was laying at Lucius's feet, watching the world go by and snapping his jaws at a fly every once and a while. I glanced around and sighed. I never would have taken the Malfoys for park people. But, I suppose this isn't exactly sitting on a blanket, trying to keep a horde of ants from mauling your food like we were used to. But we're nature people. We all like camping, hiking, swimming in lakes, and even (sadly) fishing, so anything to do with the outdoors is fine with us.

* * *

We walked down the busy streets of Diagon Alley, and I liked it better this time we were with a larger group. Before, walking with just Lucius made me feel slightly nervous.

Not that the idea of having lunch with a whole bunch of Death Eaters is my cup of tea, but I'll just sit as far away from them as I can. We entered Louie's Luncheon, a place famous for it's expensive meals, despite the corny name. There was a rather large table, already full with people, near the rear of the restaurant. Heads turned back to us, and several men rose to greet Dad, Grandmother and Lucius, while many were eyeing us oddly. I finally spotted someone I knew, Severus Snape. He smirked at the four of us and Shane returned it.

I found he was smirking a lot lately...

"And are these the grandchildren I've been hearing about?" a black-haired witch inquired, standing up and sweeping over to Grandmother, her dark eyes looking us all over. Realization swept over everyone's faces and the room relaxed a little more.

"Yes," Grandmother said proudly. "This is Shane, Eloise, Kevin and Annie... And you four, this is my sister, Bellatrix... Aunt Bellatrix to you."

"Wouldn't she be a Great Aunt?" Kevin piped up, and I rolled my eyes.

Shane shot him a look, "How many people want to be called great Aunt something... Use your head, Kev."

"I was just saying!"

Lucius cleared his throat forcefully and we stopped, a few chuckles coming from the large table of witches and wizards in front of us.

"I'm Annie," Annie said loudly, stepping around all of us and shooting us less then subtle glares, "and this is Bo."

Luckily dogs and pets of any sort are welcomed in every kind of wizarding place, so we could get the dog in without a problem.

"Oh she is quite adorable," Aunt Bellatrix chuckled darkly. "Come sit next to me and I'll introduce you to everyone."

Annie grinned broadly and sauntered off after her, shooting us a snotty look.

Stupid thing... If she wasn't so cute people wouldn't treat her like this.

"You three can sit down by Uncle Severus," Dad explained, ushering to the three chairs near the end of the table. Lucius had already settled down near Annie and Grandmother at his side, so while Dad took a seat beside Darius's father, Blaise Zabini, Shane sat next to him, Kevin beside him, and me at the end, across from a young looking witch with fiery red hair. I stared for a moment, the hair seemed so familiar...

"My name's Ginny," she greeted, smiling at me warmly. "By the staring I suppose you've met my nephew, Nate."

"You're Nate Weasley's aunt?" I inquired, my eyebrows raising. Nate and I had been pretty close during school, although he was about two years ahead of me.

"Doesn't the hair give it away?" she inquired mischievously.

I nodded, "So... Were you a Gryffindor?"

She nodded and I let out a long sigh, "Finally! I was beginning to feel alienated around all the Slytherins!"

"Gryffindors," Severus snorted, rolling his eyes as his hand rested lazily across the back of Ginny's chair. She shot him a glare and flicked a bit of her hair in his direction, then turned back to me, a grin playing on her lips.

"He's just in a foul mood, since, his last year at Hogwarts teaching... The Slytherins lost each and every single Quidditch game they played against our house."

Shane and Kevin chocked on their drinks and Kevin's jaw dropped, "No way... Slytherin usually beats Gryffindor."

"Not when I was in school," Ginny chuckled, "but I was the Captain... How could we lose?"

Severus rolled his eyes again and took a sip of his drink, "As you can tell, she's rather humble about it."

"Oh hush," Ginny scolded, shooting him a scowl.

Dad finally joined in the conversation, "What's this I hear about Slytherin losing to Gryffindor?"

"Don't act like that, Draco Malfoy," Ginny chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "Would you like me to list all the games I've won against you? Let's see... There was that time in Sixth year-"

"Okay, okay, okay," he grumbled, turning back to Blaise and leaving the conversation.

Ginny seemed to have a pretty good handle on all the men sitting around her, and I quickly wondered whether or not she had been like me growing up... One that hangs out with both houses, enjoying both of their company.

I'll make a mental note to ask Dad later.

* * *

When we finally left our three hour lunch, I was feeling better than I thought I would have. My first impressions on the Death Eaters in general weren't amazing, since they were all rather snooty, especially the older ones towards Ginny, but there were a few that I liked. Bellatrix... Aunt Bellatrix, scooted down the table with Annie at one time we ended up chatting. Blaise Zabini seemed a lot like his son, which didn't exactly make him my favourite person, but I could tolerate a few forced polite conversations with the man.

I also liked a man who went by the name of Dean... Dean Thomas I think it was. Yeah, he was nice to me. Ginny whispered he was also a Gryffindor, but seemed almost ashamed when I asked him about it.

We had decided to take a quick little venture down the main street, glancing in a few of the shops. Lucius forbid Grandmother to do any sort of shopping, which she returned with a nasty glare, but refrained from entering any of the pricey shops.

I am not a huge shopper, to looking in windows was fine with me, but Annie seemed a little annoyed that she wasn't allowed to buy anything. Dad, Shane and Kevin crowded around a window displaying one of the latest broom model, but Lucius almost had to drag them away after a few pointed looks from his wife. Annie and I walked ahead of everyone else. Lucius had asked Severus to drop Bo off at the Manor on his way home, and Ginny seemed overjoyed with the little dog.

"Hey Loo?" Annie asked, "How come we've never met Auntie Bellatrix before?"

I glanced over at her and shrugged, "She's... been... uh... busy with stuff."

"What stuff?"

"Adult stuff."

That answer usually shut her up... And I think it will work until she's old enough to start wondering what the adult stuff actually is.

Annie stopped suddenly, her jaw dropped, "A-Auntie Hermione?"

I frowned and looked in her direction, causing my jaw to drop too.

Hermione Granger was in no way actually related to us. The bushy haired witch, however, was my mum's best friend. They'd met studying after Hogwarts, and became difficult to part. I remember she used to come over to our house all the time...

I loved her so much.

"I-Is it?" I stammered, looking harder at the slender witch with the basket in her hand, chewing on her lip as she looked into a book store. Annie was nearly jumping on the spot and I peeked over my shoulder to see the rest of the family a few shops back, talking over some product. I poked her shoulder, "Call her louder."

The great thing about Annie was that she would do anything I told her to when we weren't with our brothers.

She nodded, "Aunt 'MIONE!"

The witch whipped around, her eyes wide and nervously searching the street until she spotted us. I cringed when she dropped her basket in surprise, watching the books tumble out, and Annie let out a squeal, running towards her at full speed. I hurried over just as Aunt Hermione swept Annie up into her arms, spinning her around in a circle, cooing, "My little angel..."

She looked past Annie's hair and spotted me, her eyes welling with a few tears, "Eloise... Eloise you look wonderful... Come here."

I nearly fell into her embrace, so happy to see someone I finally knew once again.

"I've missed you both," she murmured. "Your mother wouldn't tell me where she sent you... And... I haven't seen you in ages!"

"A month," Annie said in a matter-of-fact tone, smirking.

Our aunt nodded and I quickly wiped under her eyes so her make up wouldn't run, "Where are your brothers?"

"AUNT 'MIONE!"

"That would be them," I chuckled, stepping aside as two bodies collided into hers. I grabbed Annie and held her on my hip as my brothers nearly chocked my aunt to death in a huge hug.

"My boys," she whispered, running her hands through Kevin's hair and caressing Shane's face. "I've missed you all... Where have you been?"

"We-"

"They've been with their father," Dad snarled coldly as he and the others drew closer, "and I'd like it if you kept those filthy Mudblood hands off my children!"


	10. Lies Drama Lies Drama

**Hmm. Looking back over this chapter, I **_**probably**_** wouldn't have done it like this now. It seemed all dramatic back then, but somewhat poorly written. **

**-insert regular disclaimer here- **

Hermione stared back at her former school enemy, her eyes narrowing, "Excuse me?"

"I don't believe I stuttered," Draco snapped, yanking Kevin and Shane back behind him by their sleeves, "I don't need them getting infected by... you."

"Dad!" Eloise exclaimed, her eyes widening, "What the Hell?"

"Language, Eloise," Lucius Malfoy snarled, causing her to flinch. Hermione's jaw dropped, unable to believe he used that tone with her niece.

"Don't you dare speak to her like that," she hissed.

She had never, not once, found Lucius Malfoy frightening, and nothing had changed, even as she aged. He glared at her, his lips forming a sneer, "I'll speak to my granddaughter in any manner I see fit."

"The granddaughter you've never cared for before?" Hermione exploded, "Don't even think for a moment they suddenly belong to you... How long have you had them... A week? Maybe two?"

"What difference does that make?" Draco demanded, cutting his father off, "They are my children, our blood. I won't have filth like you ruining anything for them!"

"Who's been looking after them for most of their lives while daddy-dearest was off doing Merlin knows what?" Hermione choked back. She could almost feel herself radiate off hate, as Draco looked slightly unnerved for a moment, but he soon dawned a similar expression to his father.

"Oh you want to get into this again, Mudblood?" Draco growled, "Because I'll-"

"STOP!"

Hermione and Draco followed the teary voice back to Annie, who's eyes were looking slightly red as she wrapped her arms around her sister's neck, "Stop yelling at Daddy, Auntie 'Mione... And stop calling Auntie 'Mione that!"

Hermione wanted to grin as Draco's eyes fell to the ground, hopefully in shame. She had taught her niece what _Mudblood_ meant some time ago, and the small girl had always hated hearing it.

"Perhaps this should be handled in the privacy of a home?" Narcissa Malfoy suggested from behind Lucius, moving over to Annie and scooping her up tenderly, "I don't think we need to draw attention to ourselves."

"And what house were you thinking of, Cissa dear?" Lucius inquired tightly, his gaze still on Hermione.

His wife tossed her hair over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow, "I was thinking ours, Lucius."

"_Ours_?"

"Yes," she snapped, "Draco get out the portkey... We're finishing this discussion at home."

"Mother-"

"Now!"

Hermione smirked as the Malfoy men grumbled to each other, but Draco rummaged through his pocket, drawing out a small pocket-watch. It seemed Narcissa had the most power in the family. Nothing had changed.

Hermione had been to her best friend's wedding, Joyce Jameson, with a grudge. She did not approve of her marrying Draco Malfoy, since she still found him a miserable little ferret, but there was nothing to do to change someone's mind, especially when they were in love. It had been a very small ceremony, only Draco's closest family and friends came, and really Hermione was the only person on Joyce's side. Her impression of Narcissa Malfoy was raised during the wedding day, since she found the woman wouldn't leave her alone. She sat with her during dinner, and they ended up chatting through most of the night. Lucius got in the odd word here and there, but he clearly found Hermione's presence annoying, and left.

Narcissa set a gentle hand on Hermione's shoulder and pulled her closer to touch the wand. Lucius and Draco shot each other side glances, but Narcissa cleared her throat forcefully and they both stared down at the watch. The moment Eloise finally touched the watch, everything began to spin and Hermione shut her eyes, instantly feeling her stomach begin to spin just a little faster then everything else. The street in which they had been standing in disappeared and Hermione found herself met with the familiar sight of the Malfoy Manor's entrance hall. She had been there on a few occasions with Joyce to pick up Draco and go out.

The sound of a dog howling met her ears, and she frowned as a small German Shepard scurried straight for Annie. She never remembered the Malfoy's having a dog. Joyce used to allow dogs in the house, but once the number grew over four she kicked them all out onto her property, much to Annie's dismay.

"Take the dog upstairs," Lucius ordered Shane, "And keep yourselves busy with something up there."

"Why can't we-"

"Just go, mate," Draco sighed, rubbing his temples. Shane glared and nudged Kevin, who slowly followed him up the stairs. Hermione guessed the children were now occupying the second floor.

"Take your sister, Eloise dear," Narcissa insisted, giving Annie to Eloise. Annie's eyes were trying to stay open, and Hermione guessed they had been out most of the day, for the little dear seemed tired.

"C'mon, Bo," Eloise said sharply, causing the small puppy to yelp and hurry off up the stairway in front of the two girls.

"Well," Narcissa said loudly, "come along, Hermione, we seem to have some ... differences of opinion to discuss. Let's do it in the parlor. Lucius, perhaps you could tell the kitchen's to make us some tea."

Her husband shot her a seething look, then swept off, his hands in tight fists.

Narcissa led Hermione down the hallway and into a large sitting room. It looked slightly different then the last time she had sat in there, but she decided it was not the time to focus on the decor of the manor. Draco slumped down on the chair beside the couch Hermione had taken a seat on, and Narcissa elegantly settled down on the couch across from her.

A small house elf appeared a moment later, setting a tray of tea and cookies down on the table between them all.

"Anything stronger in there, father?" Draco whispered as his father entered to stand behind Narcissa, a hand on her shoulder.

Lucius sighed, "No... I'm afraid nothing strong enough."

"Hush, both of you," Narcissa ordered, gripping her husband's hand and running her thumb over the top of it.

As much as Hermione disliked Lucius, she found he and Narcissa made an excellent couple. She mellowed him out, and he seemed to look after her wonderfully.

"Now," Narcissa sighed, looking over to Draco. "It's all yours."

"Stay away from my children, Mud-"

"I would prefer Granger, if you could manage," Hermione spat, her jaw squaring as she glared at the Slytherin.

He rolled his eyes, "Fine. Granger... Keep your hands off of my children."

"I would, but I can't," Hermione snapped, folding her hands together, "I raised them while you were gone. Joyce worked much more then I did... And without a father to look after them, they needed someone."

"I-"

"I don't care for the reasons you have for leaving one of my best friends," Hermione stated, looking down her nose at Draco, "nor do I care why you would have nothing to do with the children. It was your loss in the end."

Draco stared at her and she finally noticed hurt flashing across his cold eyes. Lucius cleared his throat, "A perfect reason for Draco to want to keep his children to himself now."

"I won't just block them out of my life," Hermione argued smoothly, looking Lucius directly in the eye, "and now that they've seen me, they won't forget me."

"I wonder why you are here, to be honest," Lucius drawled, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't the Order flee?"

"Most did," Hermione replied through a tight pair of lips, "I decided to stay, since I knew there were people who may need me here."

"What about Potter and Weasley?" Draco demanded.

Hermione shot him a glare, "Ron and Harry are none of your business."

"And they are not the reason she is here," Narcissa ground, shooting her son a narrowed stare. "The children should be our main topic."

"Cissa," Lucius sighed, "you know I had to alert a Ministry official... She is the enemy."

"Yes," Narcissa sighed, "but Lucius... She hasn't done anything, nor was she planning on causing a problem. You'll tell the official that, won't you?"

Lucius stared down at his wife and groaned, then roll his eyes, "Of course, dearest."

"I'd appreciate it, sir," Hermione said politely, remembering what sort of people the Malfoy's were.

"I'd like to see my nieces and nephews more often," Hermione stated as a silence settled over the room, "I love them so much... I have so many memories with them."

"Could you tell us some?" Narcissa inquired, leaning closer with excitement. Hermione shrugged, "Nothing spectacular mind you... Just little things, like Shane fell off his broom and broke his arm so terribly when he was seven, and Kevin went through three weeks of food poisoning when we finally realized he wasn't allowed to eat broccoli, which Joyce had been making his soup out of, hoping he'd get better. Eloise has had... incidents, and Annie... Annie once yelled at the Minister of Magic for speaking foully to Joyce when she had done a rather poor review on something at work. Oh you should have seen his face... Completely shocked to have a little three year old telling him off."

Hermione smiled over the memory, and noticed the room had loosened up slightly.

For the next hour, Hermione told the Malfoys about the children's past, leaving out a few details Shane and Eloise should tell their new family for themselves, but she told almost everything she knew.

"I suspect Joyce's parents may want to see them sometime," Hermione mused as she took a sip of tea. Luicus had simmered down, even taking a seat on the couch beside Narcissa, and joining into the conversation quite a bit. Draco was even acting ... civil.

"Where are they now?" Narcissa pondered. Hermione shrugged, "I think still on their tour of the world. Last I heard they were in Denmark having a look around for the cheapest beer they could find."

Lucius chuckled and Draco smirked, snatching a cookie off the tray. He looked back to the entry way of the room and rolled his eyes, "You four may come in now..."

Hermione looked back over her shoulder and grinned, watching Eloise shuffled in with her siblings close behind her. They settled down across the couches, Kevin and Shane on either side of Hermione, Annie on Draco's knee, and Eloise beside Narcissa. Hermione still wasn't entirely happy with the situation. She didn't really want the children to be living with a dangerous family, such as the Malfoys, but they seemed happy, and it wasn't right to take away Draco's own flesh and blood. She swallowed a bit of cookie, listening to Shane and Kevin ramble on about how they weren't eavesdropping, just waiting until they were allowed in. Hermione giggled, but inside she was slightly nervous about meeting a Ministry official.

Anyone from within the Order of Phoenix would be scanned by a Ministry official, if found, and if they were guilty of spying or causing any harm, they'd either be killed or sent to Azkaban. Normally members of her Order could get around without being caught, and many were still doing it.

There was hope for her kind.

* * *

A house elf appeared in the room twenty minutes later, announcing the Ministry official had arrived. Shane looked over to his aunt, who stared at her hands nervously, and he rubbed her shoulders soothingly. He knew the Ministry liked to keep a tight hold on people from the Order of Phoenix, but his aunt hadn't done anything, so she was likely to be let off with a warning.

"Shall we send him off then?" his Grandmother inquired, rising to her feet. Lucius and his father were also quickly at their feet, and a sharp look from Lucius caused himself and Kevin to rise.

Something about respecting women and junk.

His aunt rose slowly and followed behind Lucius and his Dad, fiddling with her nails as she walked.

"Nothing'll happen to Auntie 'Mione, will it?" Annie asked, tugging on her Grandmother's hand gently.

His Grandmother shook her head and smiled, "I assure you, she'll be fine."

A relieved smile passed over Eloise's face as they all left out into the main hall. His aunt was stopped dead in her tracks just shortly behind Lucius, her jaw clenched together tightly. He peered around her and his eyes widened, the site before him just sickening him completely.

There stood trash at the Malfoy Manor front door.

Peter Pettigrew was the worst character imaginable. He was a small man, plump with large teeth, causing him to look like a rat more then anything.

"You!" Shane shouted, instantly wishing he had his wand so he could hex the miserable creature.

Peter glanced back at him and a small smirk moved across his lips, "Aah... Mr. Shane-"

"Don't speak to me, filth," he snarled, lunging forward. Lucius and his father almost looked to stunned to do anything, but Kevin had reacted quickly and was holding him around his waist tightly, trying to hold him back.

"Get off, Kev," he growled. "Why are you here? Come for another little 'session' with my sister, you sick fuck!"

"_Shane_!" his grandparents said loudly in unison, Lucius sounding angrier than his wife did.

Eloise let out a whimper as Peter's gaze wandered back to her and instantly his Aunt had her wand drawn, "Keep those beady little eyes to yourself, rat!"

"Don't hurt him, Aunt 'Mione..." Shane said loudly, "If you do... Then I can't kill 'im... Get OFF me, Kevin!"

"Calm down," Kevin ordered, struggling to keep Shane at bay.

"I want an explanation, _now_," Lucius barked, pulling out his wand, "or I will be forced to deal with all of you!"

"He raped her," Shane spat, ceasing his struggle and pointing an accusing finger at Peter. "He raped Eloise!"

"I wouldn't have called it rape, to be honest," Peter said firmly, "More like... performing a service, on her part."

Eloise let out a sob and pushed between Lucius and Shane's father, then hurrying up the stairs, until there was a loud slam of her door. Shane's father stared at the spot where his daughter last stood, then turned to Peter, a terrifyingly frightening look on his face, "You _touched_ my daughter, Pettigrew?"

Peter stood motionless for a moment, then stuttered, "S-She's your daughter? So that m-makes her..."

"My granddaughter," Lucius snarled, "Narcissa, take Annie out of the room... Mu- Granger, please see to Eloise. Shane, Kevin, Draco... Stay with me."

* * *

I made sure my door was shut tightly before burying my face in the bed in shame.

Why was he here?

Tears were flowing down my cheeks, and I hoped Lucius would at least do something to that... bastard.

The door flew open and I whipped back, sighing slightly when I saw it was only Auntie Hermione, a worried expression across her face.

"Why'd they have to send him?" I wailed, sniffling loudly.

She swept towards me and cradled me against her chest, rubbing my back soothingly, "I know, darling, I know. Your grandfather will deal with him... He sent me up to check on you... The... men seem to want to have some alone time with that filth."

I cried harder and shut my eyes, trying to block out the look he gave me when he spotted me behind Shane.

Hopefully Shane and Kevin don't get too much alone time with the man...

They may just kill him.

* * *

"Before I allow my grandsons to maul you, Pettigrew," Lucius chuckled, twirling his wand lazily between his fingers, enjoying the look of terror in the pitiful man's eye, "I want an explanation."

Whether or not he planned on believing whatever Peter Pettigrew said was a different story. He was going to have Shane tell him what happened once Pettigrew was done jabbering on. He was having a difficult time keeping Draco back, for at the moment, his son was trying to push forward, so Lucius kept a firm grip on his arm. He noticed Kevin doing the same for Shane and smirked.

"Well...W-Well I was making a visit to their little... house," Peter started, his breathing beginning to grow heavy, "And... And well, Lucius you know how it used to be! They were my prisoners, for the time being, while my group went through the house! And... S-She's a very pretty little thing... So I took her back and... I..."

"Raped her?" Shane suggested, rolling his eyes, "Don't even try to fancy it up with words... We had to listen to her scream!"

Peter wrung his hands together, "Yes... Well... That's not why I'm here, is it? I need to figure out if this-"

"Miss Granger is here under my invite," Lucius drawled, as much as it disgusted him to say, he wanted to keep on task, "and really you aren't needed here as a Ministry official anymore."

Relief swept over Peter's face, "Then I suppose I can... go?"

"I don't think so," Draco growled, finally pushing past Lucius, much to his annoyance. "We still need to figure out what we'll do to you to make it up to my daughter."

"I-If you hurt me... He'll know!" Peter stated, trying to sound as threatening as he could.

Lucius rolled his eyes, "He favours us more then you anyway... _Crucio_!"

* * *

Hermione shut the door gently to Eloise's room after her niece had asked if she could just be alone for a while. She sighed, remembering how Eloise had acted when the incident actually happened. She must have only been about thirteen; two years ago. Something like that was scarring, however.

She tiptoed down the stairs and found Lucius and Draco speaking together in hushed tones near the door. Pettigrew was gone, and Shane and Kevin were somewhere else, most likely with Annie and Narcissa.

"Well," Draco mused loudly when Hermione finally made it down the stairway, "that was one _little_ detail you failed to tell us about!"

Hermione glared at him, "It's something personal to Eloise! She would have told you when she was ready... On the other hand, maybe not at all! It's something horrible to live through!"

"Oh and you would know?" Draco demanded.

Hermione swallowed heavily and looked at the floor for a moment, "Yes... Yes I would know."

"Were you raped, Miss Granger?" Lucius inquired lightly, his hands folded calmly in front of him. Hermione assumed her answer before would have given it away, but perhaps he was clarifying it.

"Yes, yes I was," she stated, straightening her shoulders. "After I graduated from school and the war was in full swing, I was raped by a Death Eater."

Draco shifted awkwardly at the situation, while Lucius held an impassive face, "Did you know who it was?"

Hermione shook his head, "He had his mask on and never spoke."

"I'm very sorry, Miss Granger," Lucius muttered.

Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "I'm sure you are."

The only good thing about her experience was that she knew how to handle Eloise after Pettigrew was finished with her.

"Were you there with Eloise when it happened?" Draco asked suddenly.

Hermione nodded, "Who do you think had to look after her? The group of them took Joyce somewhere... Merlin knows what they did to her."

"They... took Joyce?" Draco stammered, "Was she okay? What happened?"

"I don't know," Hermione admitted, shrugging her shoulders, "I had a sobbing thirteen year old to deal with. Joyce was big girl and could fix herself up."

"Would you be interested in staying for dinner, Miss Granger?" Lucius asked suddenly, "Draco... Maybe you could go speak with your daughter?"

Hermione watched with some amusement as Draco send a look over to his father; clearly, he had no idea what to say to his daughter.

* * *

"Eloise?"

I looked up from my pillow and another tear rolled down my cheek. I cleared my throat and ran a hand over my hair, hoping I would not look too much like a mess, "What, Dad?"

"May I come in?"

"Whatever."

I was not really in the mood to talk to someone about it, but I don't think Dad understands girls enough to take the hint.

"Hey, love," he said uneasily, shutting the door behind him.

I glanced up and gave him a weak smile, "Is he gone?"

"We dealt with him," he stated, a look of disgust passing over his face, "I don't think he'll ever be within fifty meters of you again... Or Shane and Kevin for that matter."

"They hate him so much," I mumbled, moving back on my bed so he could take a seat on the edge.

He chuckled softly, "I think your grandfather sensed that... They did most of the ... work."

I frowned, "What sort of curses did they use?"

If they used Unforgivable Curses... People will be able to find out! They could get in so much trouble! What was Dad thinking!

"Don't worry," Dad cooed, his eyes looking sincere. "Penalties for using Unforgivable Curses were lifted a long time ago."

"Mum never told us that," I choked. "She told us people would take us away if we used them."

"I suppose she just didn't want you to use them," he suggested, smiling a bit. "You see... She's the better parent out of us."

"That's obvious."

I instantly felt bad for saying it when I watched his face fall, but it was the truth about it. I can't lie to him.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

He shook his head, "It's true... I'm trying though."

"You're doing all right," I chuckled, sniffing loudly and wiping under my eyes. He drew out his wand and summoned a Kleenex box from my bathroom, which I accepted happily and brushed away the running make-up.

"I... I don't really know what to say about that rat," Dad confessed, wringing his hands together. "Are you... okay?"

I stared at him; oh he's trying so hard.

"I still have nightmares about it," I whispered, ripping my Kleenex in half, then in half again. I have this weird habit. Whenever it's a distressing situation, whatever I'm holding I start to rip in half until it's all in tiny little pieces.

"And... I used to see his face everywhere," I continued, my eyes getting watery again. "He wouldn't even leave his mask on when he did it... He'd tell me I was dirt... It's so horrible to think about."

"You're lucky you had some family there to help you," he commented, grabbing my feet and pulling me towards him across the bed. I nodded my head and sniffled again, and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder. It was a sad attempt at comfort, but it got the message across. I pushed my pillow to the side and slid both my arms around his waist, then rested my head on his chest, enjoying the meek attempt at comfort.

* * *

Dad and I sat in my room for almost an hour. A lot of the time was spent on the hug that got a little better after a while, and the rest was spent talking about Quidditch, sadly enough. It was the one major thing we had in common. He was actually interesting to talk with; once he got over the initial uneasiness of being alone with me. A house elf entered my room at about six o'clock to tell us dinner was on the table. When I made it downstairs, Kevin pulled me aside, an excited look on his face.

"Aunt Hermione is staying with us!"

"What?" Dad and I exclaimed in unison. I was happy about the news, but the look on Dad's face gave the opposite impression.

"She's staying?" I repeated, my insides twisting with excitement, "How come?"

"Grandma-"

"Grandmother," Dad corrected in a foul tone.

Kevin rolled his eyes, "Grand_mother_ invited her to stay with us... She said it was a payback sort of thing for all the years Aunt 'Mione looked after us!"

I squealed happily and did a little jump on the spot, something I normally only did if I was over the moon about something.

Auntie Hermione has lived with our family before, but that was before Annie was born. She stayed with us for almost two years, then Shane left for school and I soon followed, and she moved out to her own apartment. I have a feeling she stayed with mum so she could look after us, since we weren't exactly model kids growing up. Shane used to paint the walls with dirt from the garden when he was six, Kevin broke things to get attention, and I used to pin Kevin down and smother him with mum's darkest lipsticks.

Good times.

"Draco," Grandmother hissed. "Didn't you hear dinner has been sitting on the table-"

"I'm coming, mother," he sighed. "Come on, you two."

We followed him into the large dining hall and I hurried over to Auntie Hermione, wrapping my arms around her, "I just heard you were staying!"

She smiled and rubbed my arms, "The Malfoys asked me where I was living, and clearly Narcissa wasn't happy with it, and she asked me to move in here. I have a feeling I'm going to be Annie's babysitter for a little while, but I can handle it."

"So are you living here now?" I inquired in her ear.

She nodded, "Narcissa insisted... Lucius wasn't happy about adding one more to the household, but I'll just learn to stay out of his way."

"That's what we do," Shane chuckled from beside her. I grinned and walked to the other side of the table, taking my seat between Dad and Lucius. Annie still sat near Grandmother, I have a feeling it's because Grandmother cuts up her meat for her.

Shane and Kevin sandwiched in Aunt Hermione at the other side, and Dad stared sourly at his food.

I thought dinner would be awkward, but Grandmother and Hermione seemed to keep up the conversation, Grandmother prodding Lucius to join in every once and a while. I finally remembered the question I wanted to ask, and since Aunt Hermione was a Gryffindor, it would be easier to ask her.

"Aunt 'Mione?" I said suddenly. She looked at me and raised an eyebrow, signaling me to continue, "Did you know Ginny Weasley growing up?"

She nodded, "Yes I did... We were best friends, to a degree. Why?"

"I met her today," I explained. "Was she someone who hung around with Slytherins and Gryffindors?"

Dad and Aunt Hermione made eye contact and burst out laughing, causing Lucius to roll his eyes and Grandmother to look a little shocked.

"No," Aunt Hermione giggled, wiping the corner of her eye with her pinky. "No... Ginny Weasley was the least likely person to ever be around a Slytherin, unless it was during a Quidditch match. Why do you ask?"

I frowned, "Well... She's married to Severus Snape, so-"

My aunt choked on her drink and Kevin patted her on the back as she struggled for some breath, "Well... Um... She was forc-"

"Falling in love with him," Dad cut her off. "During school... So they got together after school, since the houses didn't apply as much then."

"Y-Yes," Hermione sighed, shooting Draco a glare, "That's why."


	11. Waxing Woes

**-insert regular disclaimer here- **

I normally don't get excited about girly things.

I remember once I squealed when mum bought me my first mascara, and Shane and Kevin squealed about every little thing for about a month after that. Even after the joke was dead and burried, they still continued to squeal, just to annoy me.

Stupid gits.

But today, however, is a Me and Auntie Hermione sort of day. Grandmother took Annie out to visit her sister out in Yorkshire, and Dad's spending half of the day at work. Kevin and Shane have been entranced with one of our computer games since last night, and Lucius is... somewhere, so Aunt Hermione and I decided to have a beauty day. Also known as sitting-around-in-bathrobes-and-being-girly-girls day. We dug up all my nail polishes, all four of them, and she conjured up the rest of the beauty products.

"So..." Aunt Hermione chuckled, settling on the bed across from me and shaking a red nail polish container, the little ball bouncing around inside, "Anyone special in that little heart of yours?"

I rolled my eyes, "I live with these people in the middle of nowhere... Do you think there's anyone special?"

"I vaguely remember you having a certain something for Nate Weasely," she giggled, raising an eyebrow as she painted her toenail. "Is that still there?"

Aaah Nate Weasely...

My last memory of him was when he left Hogwarts, and as a last effort to annoy me spent the day trying to toss ice cubes down the front of my shirt.

I'd say any feelings I had for him sort of died then.

"He turned out to be surprisingly immature," I stated, sighing slightly. I picked up a green nail polish and began to do my finger nails, then wrinkled my nose when it look horrible.

As I groped around for the remover, Aunt Hermione smiled coyly, "Kevin tells me Will stopped by after you first moved in."

My head shot up, "Oh did he?"

Aunt Hermione grinned, "He's a good looking boy... A little old for you, but in a little while..."

"Aunt Hermione, stop," I giggled, sending her a mock glare. "Will and I are just..."

"Flirty friends?" she suggested, moving on to her left foot.

I smirked, "Yeah... Flirty friends."

She shook her head, "I wouldn't work with that, love. I was flirty friends with someone growing up... We never actually ended up together."

I frowned. For some reason, I just couldn't imagine Aunt Hermione dating. She seemed more like someone focused on her work then someone who focused on a social life. But, I suppose now that she isn't working, I could hook her up with somebody.

"Well," I prodded, deciding to finally just put a clear coat of nail polish on. "What was his name?"

She stayed silent for a moment, chewing on her lip, "Nobody."

My jaw dropped and I laughed, "Merlin, Aunt Hermione... C'mon! Who was he?"

Her cheeks flushed, "No one special... His name was Ron."

"Did he have a last name, or did you just call him Ron?" I inquired cheekily, grinning as her cheeks darkened.

She cleared her throat and placed the nail polish brush back in the jar, "Ron Weasley..."

Ron Weasley?

My God there are a lot of them out there!

"Ron Weasley?" I repeated, "Is he related to Ginny?"

"They're brother and sister," she explained. "Ron had a massive family... Ginny was, sadly, the only daughter."

"I can sympathize with her," I chuckled, rolling my eyes. "Try living with Shane and Kevin."

"You have Annie now," Aunt Hermione stated, blowing lightly on her toes.

I shot her a look, "Annie's too little to do a lot of the stuff... I wish she was older."

I complain a lot about Annie, to be honest. Not to anyone, don't them to think I'm a bad sister or anything. But just to myself, she's too little. I love her, and I can get her to do stuff for me, but I can't have any deep, personal talks with her without her getting distracted by a fly or something.

"She'll get there," Aunt Hermione stated, smiling. "Until then, you have me."

I grinned, "Yeah... I'm glad you've moved in. Dad's okay, but there's only so much time we can spend alone together before the long, very awkward silences start."

Hermione giggled, "Well... That will also take time to work with."

I shrugged and fiddled with a tweezers, "Do you think it'll get better?"

I don't want or mean to be all negative about all this stuff, but it's sort of weird with Dad. Some days we get on really well, others... not so much. He's not like a normal dad. Normal dad's don't try incredibly hard to get their kids to like them, the kids just do or don't.

We didn't like him that much, but after three weeks we're starting to tolerate him.

Ish.

"Your father has a ... unique personality," Aunt Hermione managed to get out, her nose wrinkling up slightly. "I suppose he'll grow on you with time... Like a fungus."

I snorted, "You don't like him much, do you?"

"Let's look at it this way," she sighed. "Between your father and facing the Crucio Curse, I'd take the curse."

Wow.

I had no idea Aunt Hermione could actually hate someone so much. She may just be sugar coating it to make me feel better about, well, not liking him loads.

"Your father I and have some issues," she murmured. "I can stand his mother, but his father... Well... Let's say the Malfoy women have a little more grace then the men."

The door suddenly flew open and Kevin stumbled in, panting heavily, "Shane... gonna... kill me... Beat him in... game..."

"Take a breath, Kev," Aunt Hermione sighed, rolling her eyes slightly.

My brother inhaled deeply, "I beat him in every event we competed in... and now he wants my blood! So I ran and-... What the bloody Hell are you doing?"

I looked down at my bed and finally noticed it was covered in magazines, a bag of chips, and make-up galore.

"We're beautifying ourselves," Aunt Hermione said dramatically. "Want to join?"

"It would take a few more sessions to even start on Loo," Kevin chuckled, smirking at me.

I picked up a hot bottle of wax and a few strips, "C'mere Kev... Those hairy legs of yours could use a wax..."

"Oh piss off, Loo," he snapped.

We enjoy being around Aunt Hermione, since she let's us get away with being our typical swearing selves.

"No, really," I laughed, sliding off the bed, "either get out, or get waxed."

"Your such a little bitch sometimes," he growled. "Can't I sit in here and want to see my aunt?"

"That's it!" I hollered, charging at him.

I'm surprised Aunt Hermione hasn't stepped in...

Wow.

I've been living with the Malfoys for way too long. Mum never used to scold us if she knew we could settle it out ourselves. If it was an unfair fight, like when we were younger and it was me against my brothers, then she would step in, but now we're older, and I really don't think she or Aunt Hermione could care less.

Kevin's eyes widened and he tore out from the door, hurrying down the hallway as I chased after him. He stumbled down the staircase, only to smack into Shane at the bottom.

"Hold him down!" I shouted. Shane glanced at Kevin, then to me, then to the hot wax and smirked.

"Have mercy, Shane!" Kevin whimpered. Shane gave him a kick to the shins and he fell to the ground.

I laughed, "Sit on him!"

Shane took a seat on Kevin's back and held his hands to his side as he wailed, "This is abuse! ABUSE I TELL YOU! GET OFF ME!"

"No one's gonna come help you, mate," Shane ground. "What'd he do to you?"

"Said I was ugly. You?"

"Beat me on the computer."

"Oh."

I opened up the jar of hot wax and pulled the stick out from my pocket, "Wouldn't he look good with a 'K' on his leg?"

"By George, little sister, I think he would," Shane agreed with a very posh tone.

Kevin wriggled beneath him, "No! No! For the love of all things good on this earth nooooo! GRANDFATHER! HEL-"

Shane planted one of his hands firmly over Kevin's mouth, the other held his arms together, and his legs squished his two to the ground, keeping him from kicking me in the face.

"This will just look _mahrvelous_, dahling," I giggled, putting a long glob down his leg. He yelled loudly into Shane's hand, but I continued by placing the long strip of fabric over the wax, smoothing it out over his leg.

"This may hurt, just a wee bit," I said slowly, gripping the end of the strip and looking at Shane. He smiled evilly and nodded his head. Taking that as a sign, I ripped. I suppose the first time you get a wax as a girl it's painful, but I've never heard such a high pitched scream come out of my brother.

"Aww c'mon Kev," Shane chuckled, patting his head. "That wasn't so bad, was it? We've got two more lines to make and you're all finished!"

Someone cleared their throat at the top of the stairwell and Shane and I glanced back, spotting Aunt Hermione leaning on the banister, a scolding look on her face.

"What are you doing to your brother?" she sighed, shaking her head.

Shane looked down at Kevin, "Is that a trick question, or were you just musing?"

She rolled her eyes, "Just musing... Eloise, I'm going to finish off all your chocolate, then I plan on bunking down on your chair with your magazines and not moving... Do you need anything?"

I chewed on my lip, pondering for a moment, "You know, I think I'm fine, thanks Aunt Hermione."

She nodded and stared down at Kevin, "Make sure the other two lines are in proportion or that it going to look very weird."

"Thanks, Aunt Hermione," Shane chuckled. "We'll keep that in mind... We want our baby brother to look stylish."

Kevin let out a strangled cry for help beneath him as I dipped the stick back into the wax jar. Aunt Hermione shook her head again, "Children... I never remember waxing anyone when I was younger..."

* * *

Out of all of us, I think Kevin is going to have the most unresolved childhood anger. I think we traumatize him the most. He now officially hates our guts, and thankfully he was wandless when we finished waxing him, or I have a feeling Shane and I would be missing a few limbs.

"My leg," Kevin sobbed, staring down at the bar skin amidst the hair. "My leg!"

"I think it'll drive the ladies wild, Kev," Shane commented, grinning.

I laughed awkwardly, "Yeah... I mean... If you weren't my brother... _Woof!_"

Both my brothers stared at me and it went silent for a moment or so. I cleared my throat, "Oh my, I've gone too far."

"If you ever say that again," Kevin spat. "I will be forced to beat you somewhere."

I snorted.

Like Kevin could ever beat me up.

I've been pounding the kid most of my life... I really don't see that changing.

"It couldn't have hurt that bad," Shane stated, rolling his eyes. "I mean... Be a man, Kevin."

"You aren't allowed to say anything," Kevin hissed. "You don't know the pain!"

"I could probably handle it better then you," Shane taunted, sneering at him.

Kevin glared up at him from the bottom step upon which he sat, "Fine... Loo... Wax him."

Now that I think about it...

All three of us are going to need some therapy when we get older.

Shane held out his bare arm and shrugged, "Do it, Loo."

"You sure?" I inquired, dipping the stick on the wax, "Once you get waxed... There's no going back."

"Just shut up and wax me," he groaned, shoving his arm closer to me.

I lathered up his arm quickly, "Your funeral."

"Just rip," he stated. I placed the strip on his arm and smoothed it over, then gripped it hard and ripped it off with all my might.

"HOLY MOTHERFUCKER!"

Shane doubled over and held his arm close to his chest, whining slightly. A triumphant grin passed over Kevin's face, "See... I told you so."

"Shut up," Shane snarled, looking down sadly at his arm. "It feels so... weird."

I rolled my eyes and the front door shut loudly, causing all three of us to jump. We looked back and spotted Dad standing at the door, his jaw hanging open slightly and his eyes wide, "Do I even want to know why you were... waxing his arm?"

"They pinned me down and waxed my leg!" Kevin said loudly before either of us could get hold of him. He ran forward and pulled up his baggy shorts about an inch, showing the entire 'K' we imprinted on his leg. Dad's jaw dropped even more and he shot an accusing stare in our direction.

"Loo did it," Shane admitted, giving me a shove forward.

I glared at him and shrugged, "He deserved it... He called me ugly."

Dad let out an exasperated sigh and loosened his green and silver tie, "Kevin... Why would you call your sister ugly?"

And here comes the standard answer...

"Because she _is_ ugly," Kevin replied, crossing his arms. "I mean... Have you ever gotten a close look at Loo?"

"Take a look in the mirror, you prick," I snarled, glaring at him. Dad groaned and shrugged off his cloak, then handed it to a house elf who had been waiting obediently by his side for a minute or so now, a nervous expression on it's face.

"Look," Dad said firmly. "Don't call your sister ugly. She's a beautiful young woman who deserves better then that... And Eloise... Don't... wax your brother, either one of them."

"Shane volunteered!" I argued, "Always knew he was a slight poof..."

"Shut up, Loo," he snapped, slapping my arm lightly.

Dad's eyes narrowed, "You will not hit your sister in front of me, understood?"

"Oh for the love-"

"Don't _make_ me raise my wand to you," Dad snarled, his eyes flashing dangerously. Shane's chest swelled slightly and I rolled my eyes, knowing he was going to challenge Dad.

Whenever his chest swells, so does his head, and he thinks he's the ruler of the world. Such a typical male for you.

"What are you going to do?" Shane inquired, "Crucio me, like your dad did?"

"My father had no right to use that curse on you," Dad agreed, "but I won't lose a wink of sleep for doing it!"

"Well then why don't you do it?" Shane urged, spreading his arms, "Come on!"

Why do all the moods shift so quickly in the household?

I mean... Both Shane and Dad are too alike to be kept in the same room for more then a couple of minutes at a time!

"I'm not interested in taking your ego down a few pegs, to be honest," Dad hissed, glaring at Shane.

My brother laughed, "I just think you don't have the guts, actually."

"Don't tempt me, boy," Draco snarled. "Work was Hell, and I'm not in the mood."

Kevin and I exchanged anxious glances and I chewed on my lip, "Shane just-"

"Shut up, Loo."

"_Enough_!"

The four of us jumped and I whipped back to see Lucius leaning on the doorway to one of the sitting rooms, a book opened in his hand and an annoyed glare in his eye, "I have been trying for the last ten minutes to _read_! But the four of your have made that impossible! Now either act like adults, or I'll take up my wand with all of you!"

And the four of us are officially whipped.

Maybe Dad was never meant to have boys, since all the Malfoy men seem to have similar tempers.

"Now that you've all been shut up," he droned, slamming his book shut. "Both of you apologize."

Shane and Dad mumbled out a pathetic excuse for an apology, and Lucius rolled his eyes, "Fine, good enough. You... put the wax away."

Where he wanted me to put it exactly was another question. I put the lid back in and stuffed it into my bathrobe pocket.

"Now..." Lucius sighed, rubbing his face, "Draco... Either go take a hot bath or stop acting like a bratty child. Shane, learn to respect your elders, or you'll feel their wands."

"Yes, sir," they both mumbled, staring at the ground. I smirked, suddenly noticing, once more, how alike they both were. Aunt Hermione appeared at the top of the stairwell, a letter clutched in her hands.

"You missed quite a bit, Ms. Granger," Lucius chuckled. "Couldn't you hear them fighting?"

"Why didn't you do something about it before I got home?" Draco demanded softly, glaring at his father.

Lucius rolled his eyes, "You told me to stay out of-"

"Joyce is dead," Aunt Hermione said suddenly, looking up from the paper clutched in her hand, a tear rolling down her cheek. "This just arrived."

What?

Mum's dead?

"W-What?" Dad stammered, his hands falling limply to his sides, "What do you mean?"

"She was killed when her house was attacked in Scotland..." Aunt Hermione explained wearily, walking down the stairs to Dad and handing him the letter. His eyes sped over the writing, and my vision began to blur.

"Who... Mum's dead?" Kevin asked softly.

I let out a sob, "No... No... She's okay, right Aunt Hermione...? Mum's okay!"

She stared at the letter, quickly wiping away a falling tear as Lucius strode over, reading the letter over Draco's shoulder, but no one answered me.

"Mum's fine..." I whimpered. Shane circled his arms around me tightly and I sniffled, "She's fine..."

* * *

Draco stared out his window across the Manor ground's, watching the rain drizzle down. It had been a rather dismal rest of the day. The children were subdued, each locking themselves in their room, only coming out for a meal. Annie returned from visiting Bellatrix with his mother, and while he told his mother what had happened, they only told Annie her mother was sick. She didn't understand why that upset everyone so much, so he warned Annie to just let different people be upset in their own ways, or she would bother them. While his father gave his condolences, Draco knew he wasn't going to mourn for days over the loss of his daughter-in-law. Lucius had never really connected with the woman, and never bothered to at least try to enjoy her company.

She would be missed in his heart.

How much was a different story. He hardly saw her as it was, and he had not talked to her properly in years. He loved her, but not in the way he had when he married her all those years ago.

He sat in the library, a glass of wine clutched in his hand, gazing out over the now muddy grounds. How was he going to cope with four children who loved their mother beyond belief? And now with Hermione here...

Hopefully she would be able to give him some tips on dealing with children, specifically these four.

"Oh," a voice gasped, bringing him from his thoughts. "Sorry... I didn't think anyone was in here."

Draco turned back and noticed Hermione standing at the door, a cup of tea clutched between her hands.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as politely as he could.

She swallowed, "It's the bloody library, Malfoy... Where else would I go when I can't sleep?"

"Didn't think you'd know your way around _my_ house so well yet," he stated, turning back to the window.

"Annie gave me a thorough tour last night," she chuckled. "I made a note to remember this library."

He had hoped that turning away would encourage her to leave, not keep talking.

"I'm sorry I'm here to burden you," she whispered, suddenly at his side.

He stole a glance down at her and noticed how genuine she seemed, "You aren't a burden... There's enough room in this bloody house to keep all the Weaselys happy."

"I'll try to stay out of your way," she promised, "and your father's. I just want to be around the children, more then anything."

"I'm sure they'll need you," he mused.

She shook her head, "They'll need you."

Draco swallowed dryly, "They need their mother."

The mere mention of Joyce seemed to open a flood gate for Hermione, and she turned away, a hand over her mouth as she let out a muffled sob.

"Oh bloody Hell," Draco ground under his breath. "Look, Granger, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to upset you about it."

She ignored him and continued to cry into her hand, her shoulders shaking slightly. Draco kept the growl back in his throat and walked forward, awkwardly pulling her into a hug. She turned around and burried her head in his chest, sobbing.

His lip began to curl, something he did whenever he was annoyed or frustrated, but he mentally told himself to knock it off and comfort the woman bawling in his arms.

"She never even said goodbye when she was leaving," Hermione babbled, sniffing loudly. "She just said she had to leave... a-and that she would write to me from Scotland... She never did! And...I was angry with her for it... And now she's gone..."

"You think you didn't get a chance to see her?" Draco laughed coldly, "I haven't seen her for years now! And... And now I'm raising our children... and... she's... gone."

"I'm here to help," Hermione whispered, sliding her hand up to rest on his chest. "Now that Joyce is gone... I... I need to be with them."

"I know."


	12. Water Fights

**-insert disclaimer here- **

Hermione stirred softly from her sleep and inhaled, keeping her eyes shut. Something didn't feel right. She wasn't sleeping the bed she had grown accustomed to over the last couple of days; this was different. She wasn't completely laying down, but almost lounging on something, a couch, perhaps?

Also, there was something, or someone, currently resting on her. Her eyes shot open, and she glanced down, only to see Draco Malfoy fast asleep, his head resting on her chest, and his arm curled around her stomach. Her face wrinkled in disgust and she shoved him off with all her might, causing him to tumble onto the floor with a loud 'thud'. His eyes flew open and he sat up, looking rather panicked.

"I'm not a pillow, _Malfoy_," she hissed, sitting up and flattening out her hair, "and I'd prefer if you didn't use me as one!"

He groaned and ran his hand through his hair, "Trust me, _Granger_, I can honestly say I don't think I would be sleeping on you on purpose... You must have fallen asleep on me."

Hermione's eyes widened, "Fallen asleep on you? Are you serious? Who was on top of who this morning?"

"We maybe we rolled," Draco grumbled, slowly getting to his feet.

Hermione rose quickly to beat him and folded her arms, "I. Do. Not. Roll."

"Well maybe _I_ was the one who rolled us," he snapped. "Ever thought of that?"

"I can't believe I'm having this conversation with you," she shrieked, throwing her hands up in the air and stalking out of the room, her face slightly flushed from the argument.

Her? Fall asleep on Draco Malfoy?

It was completely out of the question! Hermione Granger would never, and will never fall asleep on that pig!

She remembered he was rather comforting the night before when she started to cry about Joyce's death, but after that her memory was a little fuzzy. Did she drink anything? No, she shook her head, recalling she had made herself a steaming cup of tea before going into the library.

"Good morning, Miss Granger," Lucius called from his parlor room, the paper clutched in his hand. "I trust you slept well."

She pursed her lips, her hands clenching slowly, "As can be expected."

"I always found the couch in that library horribly uncomfortable," he chuckled, his eyes skimming over a paragraph concerning shops in Diagon Alley and their price increases.

Hermione's eyes narrowed, "Oh?"

"Yes... I suppose I'll have to ask how Draco slept though... Since he wasn't exactly sleeping on the couch," he stated, turning to her, a lazy smirk spreading across his face.

Her mouth opened for a brief second, then closed tightly again, "Yes... I suppose you will."

He had obviously seen the pair of them sleeping sometime earlier, and she knew he would be having a go at her all day.

"I think I'll go have a shower, Mr. Malfoy," she ground, her hands clenching into fists again. "Is there some breakfast left over?"

"I can have the elves make you something."

"There's no need," she stated, rolling her eyes slightly. "I'm perfectly capable of making my own food."

"Suit yourself."

She turned on her heel, hurrying up towards her bedroom and shutting herself in. Looking out the window, she noticed the children were out playing with the dog out on the lawn. She knew it would be difficult for them to get over their mother's death, but times were different now.

Years ago, when someone died, it was a horrible tragedy. Now, however, people were dying nearly every day because of the turnout of the wizarding war. It was at it's worst three years ago, when the war was in its full swing. People would be dead on the streets for days until someone finally cleaned up the body.

As Hermione bathed herself and groomed for the day, she silently wondered what had happened to the wizarding world. When she was first told she was a witch, her excitement could hardly have been described. It was a new world for her to explore, and on her first trip to Diagon Alley, she could barely contain her curiosity of the new world she was in. Everything was new and exciting. Now, however, she longed for that innocent view on her world back.

She wondered, however, why Narcissa Malfoy had invited her to live with them in their manor. It was much better then the two room apartment she had in Knockturn Alley, but the proposition had initially shocked her. She was of Muggle blood, a Mudblood, and yet, one of the most noble Pureblood family's had invited her to live with them? Things weren't adding up. Perhaps they just needed help with the children.

She had watched the Malfoys interact with the four on several occasions, and didn't exactly see why they were claiming they needed help. Yes, Draco was extremely awkward around all of them, and Lucius sometimes wouldn't even give them the time of day, but Narcissa was doing a fabulous job with all of them, and they seemed to respect her more then anyone. Maybe it was because she had raised a son of her own, she understood how the whole 'parenting' thing worked.

Hermione had always wanted children. She wanted a young person to nurture and take care of, and eventually send them off into the world to do some good. The only person she was ever interested in marrying, however, had married and had a son of his own.

Ron and Luna Lovegood, well, Luna Weasley now, had married almost as soon as they left school, and had a son who was just a little older then Shane now. At first, Hermione was crushed when she was invited to be a bridesmaid, but she set everything aside just to see her best friend happy.

She had actually considered Harry for some time, but he was too focused on the war to have time for a relationship. Now, he lived too far away for anything to happen. Last she had heard, he was in Ireland building a new headquarters for the surviving members of the Order of Phoenix.

Whenever members from England try to meet up, or escape, they take the routine path through Scotland, then across to Ireland to the various hidden bases. So far, not a single one had been discovered, and they kept groups of wizards safe during times of need.

Hermione had volunteered to stay back, along with a few others, to monitor the enemy up close. Dean Thomas had even managed to infiltrate the inner circle of Death Eaters, though he had not had much personal contact with the Dark Lord. There were others, including Fred and George Weasley, who still owned their shop in Diagon Alley. Unfortunately, once a week, Death Eaters come and take about seventy-five percent of the profits, claiming it was a tax for the Weasley twins former life in the Order. Hermione smiled, knowing that Fred and George were getting closer and closer to their goal of 'cozying' up to the Death Eaters.

Their wives, Alicia Weasley and Angelina Weasley, both of Hermione's schoolmates, lived in their small flat above the shop, terrified of the Death Eaters weekly visits.

"Aunt Hermione?"

She turned back to her closed door as she brushed her hair, "Come in, Kevin."

Her 'nephew's' head poked into the room, his eyes closed, "You decent?"

"Wouldn't have invited you in if I wasn't," she chuckled.

He stepped in and leaned against the wall, "Shane's moody."

Hermione guessed Shane would have been the last one to be effected by the recent event, but at this point, nothing would really shock her.

"Well..." she sighed, "Have you been bugging him?"

He shrugged, "Not any more than usual... Loo's all upset over mum, and Annie keeps asking if mum'll be okay... And... It's just hard to hear."

Hermione beckoned him closer and he trudged over. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him into a hug, "I know."

It's been almost two weeks since Mum died, and I can honestly say we're doing much, much better. For the first couple of days, we locked ourselves up in our rooms and rarely talked at the dinner table, even to Aunt Hermione.

Now, however, we're almost back to our normal selves.

We haven't told Annie yet that Mum passed away, and we're not quite sure when we should. Hopefully no one just blurts it out in some argument, because that will lead to a huge crying fest from Annie and that person may just want to shoot themselves. Dad and Aunt Hermione snap at each other over the stupidest things. They are much worse then me and my brothers could ever be. We don't argue about things, really. Normally if someone does something the other doesn't like, we punch them and be done with it.

Unless Lucius is around...

Then we make a mental note and hit them later.

But Dad and Aunt Hermione go at each other over everything! I remember they were both reading in the library, and I had walked past, and their argument made me roll my eyes.

_"Draco!"  
_

_"What? Am I breathing too loudly for you now?"  
_

_"Stop turning the pages so harshly!"  
_

_"Oh, I'm sorry... Am I hurting your precious books?"  
_

_"It's your library, so they happen to be your books!"  
_

_"Well then I can treat them however I damn well please!"_

I always used to think Aunt Hermione was a very passive person, but when she's around Dad, something just snaps, and she will tell him off for any little thing he does!

"Loo?"

I groaned and tossed my magazine on my bed, then leaned out my doorway, "What?"

"We have to wash Bo!"

"What?"

I heard Shane, but I just, honestly, don't feel like doing it.

Bo is starting to smell, I agree, but can't he stand another month or so? I'm having one of those days where all you want to do is eat and lay around.

"Come on, Loo..." Kevin shouted, "He's your dog too!"

"I'm COMING!" I shouted, pulling my hair back into a ponytail and slipping into a pair of old shorts. From past experiences, washing dogs can be a wet, soapy adventure, one on which I would not like to ruin my clothes.

I jumped down the last few steps and spotted Kevin walking out of the laundry room with a large, metal tub.

Lucius strolled down the stairs, a few thick books in his hands, and frowned, "What are you doing?"

"We're washing the dog," Shane explained, holding up a bucket full of shampoos and wash cloths.

Lucius frowned, "You can't just use a spell?"

Annie let out a squeak and she covered Bo's ears, "Don't say that! They don't like having spells done on them!"

Kevin cleared his throat, and in a softer tone stated, "Annie doesn't like using magic on animals... Says it hurts them."

"Well no one can ever know since they don't talk," Annie snapped. "C'mon Bo... Let's go wait outside."

Annie tromped off towards the front door and slammed it behind her. I grinned. Annie had always been against the use of magic on animals, and any time someone would mention it, or suggest it, she would get into one of her little hissy fits and storm off.

"Why don't you just do it while she isn't watching then?" Lucius demanded, "Isn't this a little too... Muggle?"

Shane shrugged, "It's not we have anything better to do... It'll keep _all_ of us busy for the afternoon."

Lucius pondered the thought for a moment, then smirked, "Well then, by all means... Go clean your animal."

Grandmother and Aunt Hermione are out at one of the various Alleys downtown, and Dad left this morning to go do some paperwork at the office, so as usual, Lucius has had to sit behind with us to make sure we don't destroy the house.

I wonder when he's going to just snap and leave us alone one day; Annie annoys the holy Hell out of him. Sometimes I've heard her following him around the house, right on his heels, asking him about anything and everything that passes through that little mind of hers.

"Well, shall we?" Shane groaned, holding the bucket under his arm for a moment while he pulled on a pair of rubber gloves. I nodded and made for the outdoors, smiling as I stepped into the sunshine.

There are days when the sun feels like heaven on your skin. You don't understand why, but it just does.

It's one of those days.

Kevin hurried out after us with the metal tub filled to the brim with luke-warm water, the contents sloshing onto the grass as he walked.

I really love the property around the Malfoy Manor. It's basically all open, and where there aren't trees, gardens or ponds, there is a well manicured lawn for you to walk on.

"I think he's scared to have a bath," Annie commented when we started mixing in a little bit of soa. "Maybe I should do it..."

"Shane's doing it, like always," Kevin explained, rolling his eyes. "You aren't strong enough to hold him if he squirms... Then we'll have to chase after him if he runs."

"He never runs from _me_," Annie emphasized, shooting us a snotty look. "He likes me the best."

I rolled my eyes, "He likes all of us... You just drag him around everywhere."

"Do not!"

I groaned, not in any mood to argue with her, and told Shane to put Bo in the tub.

The puppy seemed perfectly content to be picked up, but when he finally realized he was going into a tub of water, he began thrashing around frantically, and a look of discontent passed over Annie's face.

"You're HURTING him!"

"No I'm not, Annie... I've done this enough to know what to do!"

I remember Shane always used to look after dogs when we were younger. Kevin and I were a little skittish around dogs in general, and because of that, Shane had to walk them, wash them, and make sure they were trained. He generally did it with neighbourhood dogs for spare cash, though we had a few stay at our place on occaison. Mum usually wasn't all that happy in those situations.

After a good ten minutes of scrubbing Bo, and persuading Annie to just let us handle him, we managed to get him clean. Shane lifted him out of the bucket, and before we could get a towel around him, he had wiggled free and taken off away from us. I grimaced, watching him suddenly stop, shake, then rub his face into the ground and flop down.

"So much for that bath," Kevin grumbled, watching with annoyance as Bo rolled around in the grass, his tongue hanging out lazily from the side of his mouth.

I sprawled out on the grass and stared up at the sky, "You know... The clouds always look like a painting."

"You're so random, Loo," Shane snorted.

I shut my eyes and grinned, "I know..."

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over me and I frowned, opening one eye, only to see Kevin standing over me, a water balloon in hand.

"You hit me with that... You die," I stated, holding up a threatening finger.

He smirked, "What are you gonna do, Loo?"

"Hey... He rhymed," Shane chuckled, suddenly standing near my feet with the huge metal tub of water in his hands. I glanced to the side and suddenly noticed Annie with her own bucket of water.

Stupid prats always team up against me.

My eyes widened as Shane slowly began dumping the water on me, and my hands flew to my face just in time to avoid getting a water balloon slammed into it.

It was a rather degrading ten seconds of my life, but as soon as I was officially soaked, my eyes opened slowly and my hand drew out my wand, "Do you guys think I do anywhere without it? Now... I know several nice _drenching_ spells..."

Before I had even finished my sentence, they were running off in different directions, towards trees and off around the other side of the house.

This, my friends, means war.

* * *

"Why can't I use magic?" Annie whimpered, hitting Kevin on the leg harshly, "I have a wand!"

"Well," Kevin sighed, rolling his eyes, "For some mysterious reason, we don't exactly trust a five year old with a wand yet!"

"I'll be six soon," she muttered darkly, glaring at him. Kevin rolled his eyes again, cursing Shane for dumping him off with Annie.

It had been a very extravagant water fight all afternoon against anyone you saw. If someone was making a run for a bush, it was a quick 'Agwe!' and a flip of the wand, and they were hit with a powerful blast of water.

Shane had officially run off somewhere, and was no longer in an alliance with Kevin and Annie, leaving the pair to fend for themselves. Kevin peered around a tree, his eyes searching the grassy field for a sign of someone. He suddenly heard Annie giggle at something, and looked back, only to find her chasing a butterfly. He groaned and rushed after her, only to hear the piercing shout of "AGWE!" coming from a nearby tree. Both Kevin and Annie were instantly soaked by Eloise, who shot them a smug look before running off in the opposite direction.

Annie, luckily, had been raised with her three elder siblings, and while most children would burst out into a waterfall of tears when they were picked on, Annie proved her worth.

She wrung out her hair, then her blue shirt, and growled, "C'mon... I saw her run that way!"

* * *

"Come on... Come on..." I whispered, hearing footsteps suddenly come tromping out the front door. It's past sunset, and we're all soaking wet, and cold. None of us, however, will admit defeat.

The last person time I saw everyone was a good couple of minutes ago, when I saw Annie dragging Kevin away from Shane, who was pounding them with waves of water.

It's mostly been Shane who has been getting me throughout the day, and Kev seems to be hopeless when he has to pull Annie around with him everywhere. I have a feeling he'll be getting Shane and I back for leaving her with him.

I whipped around the corner, shouting my water spell, only to retract in horror when I realized it was Dad, now completely drenched from head to toe. I stumbled backwards and my hand quickly flew to cover my wide open mouth.

He stood still, clearly in shock as water ran down his face and over his sagging robes. Suddenly, laughter erupted from the door, and we both looked back to see Aunt Hermione leaning on the doorframe, grasping her side as she howled in laughter.

"You think this is funny, Granger?" he spat, shaking his arms out briefly, water splashing everywhere.

"Actually... It's more then funny," she gasped, a wicked grin on her face. "I'd call it... on the verge of hilarious!"

"Oh mind your own business, you sodding nosy witch," he snapped, pulling out his wand. "Agwe!"

She ducked back inside just in time, and narrowly missed being washed away by a powerful surge of water.

"I'm so... so... SO sorry, Dad," I mumbled, "I-I thought you were Shane or Kevin... We've been having a water fight all day."

"Can't you four ever think of something productive to do?" he demanded, running his hand over his head a few times, spraying water in several directions.

I shrugged, "It's not like we have anything better to do... Everyone was gone for day, and we wanted to wash the dog... And then they just... attacked me. Well, that led to a massive water fight... And that's what we've been doing for most of the day. ... Heh."

"So they attacked you?" he grumbled, a small smirk suddenly appearing on his lips as I nodded, "And you've been fending for yourself all day?"

My brainwave hacked into his and I grinned, realizing I was about to finally have someone on my side.

"Yeah..." I answered dramatically, letting out a little pout, "and they keep cornering me and spraying me, then running off again..."

"My poor little girl," he chuckled, shrugging off his work cloak and tossing it on the front step. "Well... Looks like I'll just _have_ to step in to even the teams."

I grinned, "Well... Only if you _haaave_ to..."

Oh these guys are so going down.

* * *

"WE'VE GOT 'EM CORNERED!"

"NO FAIR! YOU CAN'T USE DAD!"

"RUN KEVVIN... RUUUUN!"

"C'MON DAD... CUT 'EM OFF AT THE FRONT!"

Draco ducked, and managed to pull Eloise out of the way, as Shane shot a blast of water in their direction. Draco had been playing with the children for almost an hour now, and he never knew he could enjoy running around, squirting people with water. That evening had been the most fun he'd had in quite a while. He felt almost young again. Not that he was old, but it felt good to just run around, and the only worry on his mind was whether or not someone was hiding behind a bush, ready to spray him.

This experience also gave him a good idea of how the children reacted when something was being shot at them. He had expected their reaction times to be about average, maybe Shane a little better since he played Quidditch, but he was amazed with how well they performed.

Even Annie was quick on her feet, shocking him completely.

"Draco Malfoy!"

The game halted as his mother stormed out across the yard, her lengthy blonde hair flowing behind her. Draco winced at the distasteful look that was slowly appearing on his her face and immediately prepared himself for the worst.

"We've been looking around for all of you for ages now!" she snapped, "Dinner will get cold if you aren't in eating it!"

"Mother-"

"I do not want to hear it," she snarled, pointing a slender, and well kept, finger towards the manor. "I want _all_ of you inside, dry, changed and _suitable_ for dinner within the next ten minutes! Oh look at Annie... Draco she's shivering! Come along, darling!"

Draco stepped back and watched Annie hurry forward to take her Grandmother's hand, allowing herself to be led inside. Kevin, Shane and Eloise pocketed their wands and slowly tromped in alongside him.

"How long was she shivering for?" he asked, looking Annie over with concern.

Eloise rolled her eyes, "Since the sun went down, I'm guessing... She never speaks up when she's cold."

"You think she'll catch a cold, or something?" Draco inquired anxiously.

Kevin shook his head, "She's a tough little kid... Takes a surprisingly huge amount for her to catch a cold."

Draco breathed heavy sigh of relief and ushered his children inside, then gave them small nudges towards the stairs, "Be quick... Or your Grandmother will be in a mood."

He watched them scamper up the stairs, flicking water at each other and laughing. He hoped they would be quick, since when his mother was annoyed, she would annoy his father, and his father would then come snap at him. It was a rather vicious cycle in the Malfoy house, and usually somehow landed on Draco getting snapped at.

"Well... Don't you look... soaked," Hermione chuckled, exiting the parlor with Lucius, "Had fun, did you?"

Draco shot her a glare, which slowly landed on his father when he watched him hold back the urge to laugh. Draco smirked, "Actually I did... Pity I missed hitting you though..."

"Not really," she droned. "Then you'd be forced to deal with me, and you know I'm much better with a wand then you are."

"Is that so?"

Lucius rolled his eyes and stalked off, muttering that he'd be in the kitchen when both of them stopped bickering.

"Yes," Hermione chuckled, "I've always been better with a wand... Pity I wasn't allowed to duel a boy in school."

"I'm afraid I would have embarrassed you, severely," he stated, folding his arms.

She was getting on his nerves lately. Not anymore then she used to, but it felt like they were back in school again, suffering through classes with each other. Although, it was a tad refreshing to find someone witty, and bold, enough to stand up to him. The people at work were useless to banter back and forth with, since their insults usually got more and more pathetic with the passing minutes.

"Maybe we can put our differences aside, just for tonight," Draco said softly, stepping towards her. "Give me a hug, Hermione."

Her eyes widened as he started towards her, his dripping arms outstretched, and an impish grin on his face.

"Get away from me!" she shrieked, ducking under his arm and scurrying off towards the dining room, shooting him one last glare over her shoulder.

"DRACO!"

He jumped and took off upstairs when he spotted his mother storming down the hallway, hoping to avoid her wrath at least once.


	13. Dinner with the Snapes

"Eloise... Let's go!"

"I'm coming!" I shouted, quickly running a brush through my hair as I flung things around in my closet, trying to find my black heels.

We're heading over to the Snape's for dinner tonight, which will be a nice change from spending every single meal in the same dining room. I have a weird issue with things being the same... Stuff has to change! At Hogwarts I nearly went mental when I ate all of my meals in the Great Hall. The only thing that kept me sane was the fact the ceiling changed daily, which gave me something to look at.

"Come on, Loo," Shane urged, poking his head into my room. "Lucius is getting impatient!"

"I can't find my shoes," I moaned, throwing a pair of jeans over my shoulder. "This closet is a mess..."

"Here... Lemme help you."

He fell down on his knees beside me and began searching the left side of the closet, while I rummaged through the junk on the right side. I really need to start being more organized.

"Is this it?"

"Those are skate shoes," I droned, rolling my eyes, snatching the shoe away, then tossing it back into the closet. "Do you not see I'm in a _nice_ dress?"

He looked me over, snorted, then went back to rummaging.

All of us were forced to dress nice, which meant Shane, Kev and me were stuffed into fancy shmansy clothes. Also meaning, Shane and Kevin were actually wearing belts around their pants, had cuffs on their buttoned up shirts, and their hair was neat. It was the funniest thing I've ever seen watching them walk out of their rooms at the same time, share a look of disgust, then hurry back inside.

"These?" Shane gasped, retreating from my closet with a pair of high-heeled black sandals in his hand.

I smiled and snatched them away, "Yup... These will do."

"They better... Lucius is freakin' grilling me down there for you taking your glory sweet time," he growled, grabbing my arm and dragging me to my feet, then ushering me out of my room.

Clearly he doesn't understand that I do need time to get my shoes ON! He had a habit to be very impatient, at times, and it can really get on my nerves.

Maybe he got it from Lucius.

"Well," Dad sighed as I stumbled down the stairs, trying awkwardly to do up the sandal clasp on my shoe, "that took her highness long enough."

Both Aunt Hermione and I wore identical glares, and she snapped, "It takes girls more than two minutes to get ready, Draco... Just because all you do in run a comb through your hair doesn't mean other people don't take pride in their appearance."

Dad opened his mouth to snarl back at her, but Lucius and Grandmother walked in from the hallway, all dressed up and ready to go out. I don't understand why these people get all formal just to go to a family friend's house for dinner. I remember we used to play around outside all day, then go off to Grandma and Grandpa's for dinner... No one really seemed to care. But we all looked quite good tonight. I was in a strapless black dress that fell to my knees with little tasteful white swirls around the bottom. Kevin and Shane were dressed in black pants, black dress shoes, and white button-up shirts, one button open at the top. They look good when they clean up a little.

Usually they never take any time with their appearance, unless it's for a party or something and they _know_ there are going to be a lot of girls there.

Aunt Hermione managed to calm her normally frazzled hair into a half-up half-down style, which suits her quite nicely. She's also in a dress, but a tasteful green one, the sleeves just reaching her elbows. It was plain, but that had always been her style. Dad was wearing a black and green cloak, reminding me a lot of my brothers Slytherin cloaks, but this had the Malfoy crest on the pocket. He shared nearly the same wardrobe with Shane, Kevin, and even Lucius, except Lucius and Dad had different coloured shirts.

Dad's was green, and his father's was black.

We almost look like we're going to a funeral, to be honest.

Maybe we are.

Annie was in a pale blue dress with a green ribbon in her hair, which made me laugh when I first saw her. She's going to regret her fashion sense when she's older, but for now I suppose we should just let her enjoy her outfits. Grandmother looks elegant, as usual, in a red and cream coloured dress, something that almost seems a little out of the ordinary for a Malfoy.

"Remember, while we're there, don't touch anything," Lucius growled, pulling on a pair of leather gloves as grandmother helped him into an overcoat. "Unless you're allowed to do something, don't."

Well. That's different from what we used to be told. - _"Once we're there, mummy wants to have adult talk with the older people... Go do whatever."_

I think mum only used to go to dinner parties and such because we drove her crazy.

"So what are we supposed to do then?" Kevin inquired, tugging on his shirt cuffs, "Sit and listen to you guys talk?"

"Oh, darling, don't make it sound so boring," Grandmother cooed, "I suppose you could bring that Muggle contraption with you... Maybe watch a... a..."

"Movie?" I suggested hopefully, my face brightening.

Lucius let out a small growl and grandmother patted his arm, "Love... That way they won't be bored."

They exchanged a look and Lucius grinned, "Fine... Get your little device, but _move it_."

The four of us nearly ran down the hall to our Muggle room, and while Annie and Kevin tried to stuff the portable DVD player into its case, Shane and I grabbed any random movie we could get our hands on and shoved them into a bag.

"At least we'll be vaguely amused," Shane grumbled. "Dunno what else we can do there."

"Snape was kinda nice though," I stated, "and so was Ginny... Maybe they'll be worth talking too."

"For us," he whispered, nodding over to Kevin and Annie. "Maybe not for them."

By the time we were back in the main hall, the others were waiting impatiently for us to touch the Portkey. As we did, I felt my stomach lurch forward, and our world began to spin.

* * *

"Ginny?"

She glanced back over her shoulder and continued to brush her hair, "In here."

She watched the reflection of Severus Snape stroll into the bedroom, his usual lazy grin on his face.

He had been smiling a lot more since he retired from teaching, though his dry sarcasm still had not left him.

"Still getting ready?" he mused, looking her over, "The Malfoys will be here shortly... You look lovely."

"I _always_ look lovely," Ginny stated, shooting him a coy look over her shoulder and giving herself a squirt of perfume.

He smirked and moved closer to her, his large hands sliding over the delicate roll of her hips, "And I suppose that's why I'm such a lucky man, am I not?"

"Very lucky," she stated, grabbing his hands and pulling him up against her. She linked her fingers with his and allowed them to rest on her stomach while she watched him in the mirror.

"You better keep in shape when you get old," she commented suddenly, tilting her head up and planting a quick kiss on him, "because we won't be doing this if you're old and wrinkly, I promise you that."

He let out a thunderous laugh and gave her a firm kiss on the head, then a reassuring squeeze, "I suppose I'll have to watch my precious figure then, won't I?"

She snorted and he shot her a mischievous grin, one the couple had learned to use to their advantage in many situations. A small being cleared their throat from the door, causing Ginny to jump, and Severus to scowl at the creature.

"What?"

"Be nice," Ginny murmured, giving his hands a squeeze.

He rolled his eyes as the house elf babbled, "The Malfoy family, here to see you, sir."

"Very well," Severus droned, releasing Ginny from his grasp. He watched her for a moment as she leaned closer to her make-up mirror, checking her eyes for something.

Eyeliner?

He wasn't exactly accustomed with the whole make-up thing, and decided to wait patiently for her to finish.

"Are the children coming tonight?" she inquired, giving herself one last look before taking his hand.

The two never linked arms, since Ginny had made a huge fuss that she was young, and she refused to link arms like some old couple that had been married for years and years.

"Well... I don't think Narcissa would even consider leaving them at home," he chuckled. "Not alone anyway."

"But they're teenagers," she argued, "can't they-"

"It's not my rules," he laughed, admiring her readiness to quarrel once again, "You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not," she replied, a smile spreading onto her lips. "I like them, actually."

* * *

Hermione stared around the dark, yet massive entrance hall to the Snape Manor in awe. She had always assumed the Malfoys to be exceedingly wealthy, but from one look at this house, her whole belief system of the richer folk had changed. From what she could tell, the house seemed an awful lot like Snape's old Potions classroom; dark, dreary and empty. She would go mad if she had to live in such a place.

"Nice digs, eh Aunt Hermione," Shane commented, clearly sharing her awe. "Wouldn't have thought he'd live in such a huge house..."

"I wonder what he fills it with?" she whispered back.

Eloise cleared her throat, "Just wondering... What do we call him?"

Draco pondered upon the question for a moment, and shrugged, "Uncle Severus, I suppose."

Hermione covered up her snort with a cough, and looked away when Draco shot her a glare.

She never thought she would see Severus Snape again. He had been the killer of Albus Dumbledore, and had betrayed the Order on several occasions after. There would always be a silent resentment in her, waiting to lash out at him. Not that she ever would. For now, she had to keep her temper in check if she wanted to continue spying on the enemy.

"Ah, Severus," Lucius greeted warmly as he tossed his cloak and gloves to an awaiting house elf. "So good to see you again."

"Same to you, my friend," the silky voice of her previous Potions master greeted.

Hermione stood silent as she waited to be introduced, until suddenly, "Hermione?"

That voice was so familiar...

Hermione frowned and finally looked up, and her jaw dropped, "Ginny!"

The last time she had seen Ginny Weasely, was at Ron and Luna's wedding. During the war, there had been rumours that Voldemort caught her personally, and when Ginny never responded to her letters, Hermione naturally assumed she had been killed. Of course, she knew the redhead had married Severus Snape curremtly, but the notion slipped her mind because it just seemed so ridiculous.

"HERMIONE!"

"GINNY!"

"My ears..." Draco groaned, just managing to get out of the way as Ginny plowed through the group and nearly knocked Hermione off her feet with a back breaking hug.

* * *

"So it's okay if we call you Uncle Severus?" Kevin inquired as Severus Snape led them down a dimly lit corridor. He wasn't too sure how the man was related to him, but it didn't matter. All he cared about was getting settled into the sitting room Snape had set aside for them specially, and ordering anything he wished for from the house elf that followed a few feet behind the group.

"Anything but Uncle Sev," he remarked with a hint of disgust. "They called me Sev all through school... Drove me insane."

"Hmm... I wonder what it's like to have a stupid nickname that everyone insists on using," Eloise pondered sarcastically, shooting him and Shane a glare.

Annie shrugged, "You know what it's like... We call you Loo, silly."

Eloise groaned and rolled her eyes.

Severus opened a door to a large parlor with several long, green couches, some books shelves, and a fireplace.

"Looks kinda like the Slytherin Common Room," Shame remarked, gazing around.

Severus grinned, "I styled it as such... I always had a fondness for my house."

"I know the feeling..." Kevin sighed, thinking back to all the good memories he had made over the years in the Slytherin house.

"I want to be in Ravenclaw when I go to Hogwarts," Annie announced loudly as she studied the room.

Severus raised an eyebrow, "Oh really? And why is that?"

"Lady Ravenclaw is really pretty," she sighed, "and everything there is in blue."

"Oh Merlin," Eloise groaned, "Annie... You... Never mind."

Severus studied Kevin's sister for a moment, "I'm almost sensing... Hufflepuff."

Kevin snorted and Annie sent him a very disapproving glare.

"As long as everything is okay, I need to see back to my guests," Severus explained when they had settled in on one of the larger couches, and Lusy, one of the family house elves, was waiting at attention.

Eloise smiled, "Thank you."

Kevin rummaged through the pair of bags, and retrieved the one with the DVDs stuffed inside.

"So what did you guys pick?" he asked, pulling out a stack, "Bad Boys... Day After Tomorrow... Ace Ventura... _Lion King_?"

"We grabbed whatever!" Shane stated, shrugging his shoulders. Annie squealed with excitement, "Let's watch that!"

"No," he groaned, throwing it on the table and away from the pile, "No Lion King."

"Why not?" she pouted, giving Shane a sharp pinch on the leg, "I want LION KING!"

Kevin winced. He always hated it when Annie went high pitched and whiney. Eloise never did that when she was younger, and he wondered where Annie had picked it up from.

"Stop pinching me," Shane snarled, lifting her up and setting her on his lap. "We aren't watching Lion King!"

Shane would usually set Annie on his lap when he wanted her to leave him alone, and for some reason, it usually worked.

"Why not?" Annie moaned, pounding her fists lightly on Kevin, "I want to watch it!"

"Well you don't always get what you want," Eloise snapped. "We've watched Lion King almost six times this week... Don't you have the movie memorized by now?"

"No."

Kevin picked up the Bad Boys DVD and put it into the old fashioned machine, "There... This DVD is in, and that's what we're watching."

"Not fair!" she wailed, "I don't want to watch this!"

"Too late!"

She gave a huff of failure, slid off of Shane's lap, then hurried out of the room, leaving the other three grinning happily at her sudden departure.

* * *

"I would have written," Ginny whispered as the two sat on a reclusive couch in the sitting room, their backs turned to the Malfoys and Severus, "But it's been rather... difficult."

"I want to know everything," her best friend pressed, leaning a little closer. "Ginny... How long have you been married to Snape!"

Ginny grinned and cast a glance over to her husband, who had his usual grin on, accompanied by his mellow facial expression.

She shrugged, "A few years now... I don't keep count anymore. He does, I think... I used to count the days... But then I got bored."

Hermione's eyes widened, "Ginny... You seem so calm about this!"

"Of course I am," she hissed, "I can't do anything about it now, can I? Dad was killed, and Mum still thinks I'm dead! My brothers know, but they think it'll be too hard for mum to hear."

Ginny had managed to speak to all of her brothers at once, nearly two years ago, about her situation. It was a frightening experience trying to get to them safely, but she made it somehow.

They were infuriated with the whole idea of her being married to Snape, and she remembered the very vivid images they painted in her mind when they devised schemes of Snape's horrible death.

She needed to remind them, however, that she too was a Snape now, and they would need to learn how to handle it, as she had.

"How did it happen?" Hermione pressed, taking a small sip of tea, "When did it happen?"

Ginny moved a little closer, made sure the other members of the room were preoccupied in their own conversations, then began her story.

She had only been out of Hogwarts a few months when she moved in to the Order of Phoenix headquarters in downtown London. For a while, she worked as many odd Muggle jobs as she could, keeping herself hidden from any prying Death Eaters in the area. She was successful in most of her careers, but always found her life hectic with the constant night patrols she would go on, searching for Death Eaters, dueling them, and sometimes killing them.

There had been many times where she had been forced to Apparate out, since many of the Death Eaters were far more skilled then she knew she would ever be.

There had been one night where she and Dean Thomas were out patrolling, and the pair had always found it difficult to work alone together. They somehow managed to get on each others nerves, and a shouting match was sure to follow. When one did, it attracted a little too much of the wrong attention. Before they knew it, they were outnumbered six to one.

Usually, Ginny wasn't bothered by a Death Eater, or several Death Eaters, for that matter, but that night was different. Lord Voldemort walked among the Death Eaters that night, since he had a personal message for Minerva McGonagall to read. It was a lengthy letter about something Ginny could care less about, but she cursed him for allowing Dean to return it to McGonagall, and keep her for insurance.

"It doesn't take two people to deliver something," he cooed in that raspy voice of his, taking her wand, snapping it, and handing her over to a group of waiting Death Eaters.

For almost a month, she lived in a small cottage in the middle of no where, only having herself for company. She had made several escape attempts, but there was always someone watching her, and her attempts normally ended with a very painful curse.

When she wasn't sitting in her cottage, twiddling her thumbs, she had been used in experiments. Sometimes they would try and test how far the human body could be pushed for both pain and pleasure. Ginny always put on a brave face, and marched in headstrong to anything they asked, and before she knew it, she was before Voldemort privately.

The war had been won, and Voldemort turned out victorious. Her heart sank and gloom set in, but when she was told nearly the entire Order had fled the country, a candle of hope sparked to life.

Harry was alive.

Ron...

Hermione.

Knowing that the only people she cared about were safe, she began to worry about her own well being. Voldemort calmly explained she was being given to one of his prize followers, someone who could truly match her fire. She nearly vomited when Severus Snape walked through the door.

Apparently, he had not been overly pleased with her either, but he thanked Voldemort, slipped a small ring on her finger, and kissed her.

The first year had been difficult living with Severus Snape. He was a very reclusive man, and enjoyed his space. Not that it really bothered Ginny, since she was still trying to digest the idea of having her slimy old Potions teacher as a husband. For a long time, the only sort of relationship the two had were the lengthy discussions at dinner. She found he was a fabulous talker, and seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say. He was knowledgeable in the area that fascinated her, the Dark Arts, and would talk to her for hours about how to defend herself or attack someone with new, advanced spells.

One month, when she finally decided to have a little more interaction with Severus, she inquired him to teach her lessons, once a day, on the wand work of advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts, claiming she wanted to be able to protect herself against anyone that would try to hurt her. At first he would only laugh, cup her cheek, and tell her he would look after her. It was then she finally let her redheaded temper loose and demanded he teach her, which earned her a rather sour professor out of Severus Snape once again.

As time went by slowly, she noticed he would become a little more romantic. Nothing major, maybe leaving her a little affectionate note when he went in to work, or concocting a new scent for her to wear. He made all of her perfumes, since they matched both of their tastes quite nicely.

Though there wasn't a large physical attraction towards him, Ginny slowly warmed up to his little quirks, categorizing them as cute, and working around them.

Soon, she would start kissing him. Not as much as he would have liked, she knew it, but she would give him an odd peck here and there if he did something she liked. They did not consummate their 'marriage' at first, since they both seemed against the fact they were now forced to spend the rest of their lives together.

However, as time went on, Ginny found herself wanting to play the good wife, and when they finally went to bed together, she thought she was falling in love with him.

It was a hard concept to handle, since she had never been in love with anyone, except for Harry for those couple of years in school, and Ginny felt frustrated with how to handle it. She knew she was allowed to love him, since they were husband and wife after all, but she couldn't bring herself to admit it. It was difficult to love the man who had been forced upon her, and had killed so many she cared for.

But for some reason...

His dangerous side thrilled her.

His precision to detail when he worked, and his steady hand was always a bit of a turn-on. The way his dark eyes seemed to grow even darker when he was angry, or aroused, also causing her to spark with excitement.

One winter evening, he took her out to a very expensive Muggle restaurant, knowing she had an odd interest in all things Muggle (most likely passed on from her father), and she was in complete awe the entire evening at how well he composed himself.

From then on, she knew he cared. So, she leaned close to him, rested her chin on his shoulder, and whispered, "I love you."

He was in utter disbelief, or so Ginny thought. In turn, he gave her a polite kiss and whispered it back, causing her eyes to widen. She had never thought he would return the saying, but she was pleased, nonetheless.

Once the 'L' word had been said, everything began to flow smoothly for the couple. Severus finally retired from everything. Voldemort granted him a heavy monthly salary for being a tribute to his side of the war, and Ginny found the joys of shopping. She would never be a huge shopper, and usually dragged Severus along so he wouldn't complain about what she bought when she returned from her day out.

They became very affectionate people once Severus retired, since he was finally more relaxed. He no longer had to worry about missions from Voldemort, and spent a lot of his time with Ginny.

Although Ginny had hoped to have atleast one child when she was older, she put aside that dream, since Severus did not, in any way, shape or form, want to have children. They fought about it for a little while, but Ginny finally agreed Severus was too old to start having children now, and she could settle for looking after her nieces and nephews, if she would ever see them again.

Ron had a son, Bill, Charlie and Percy all had a few children, and she knew Fred and George would start having them soon.

She always stopped in at her brothers' shop whenever she went out, usually just to say hello, or to take Angelina and Alicia out for lunch. If there were some Death Eaters hassling them, she took it as her mission to scare them off. She was Ginny Snape, one of the more higher ranking witches in the community, and could have her way, if she wanted it.

"So... you're happy being married to... Snape?" Hermione asked, her face blank.

Ginny shrugged, "I could have it worse, Hermione... I could be dead."

Ginny shivered at the thought of what Voldemort _could_ have done to her when she was first captured.

"I suppose so," Hermione sighed, taking another delicate sip of her te., "Have you spoken to Dean recently?"

Ginny nodded, "Sends me letters quite a bit... He's doing well, isn't he?"

"Could be better," Hermione grumbled, rolling her eyes. "Harry and Ron have been waiting for more reports for months now... I don't think he's getting anywhere."

"Give him time," Ginny chuckled, "It's hard being a spy..."

She frowned for a moment, suddenly becoming confused, "Why are you with the Malfoys again?"

Hermione shrugged, "Joyce's children are with them... Narcissa thought it would be best if I stayed."

Ginny nodded, "You sure there's no other reason for it?"

Ginny wondered if the Malfoys were really only keeping Hermione close so they could watch her. Obviously, they would have known she was part of the Order of Phoenix, since she and Lucius could have dueled several times during the war.

Hermione pursed her lips for a moment, "I don't want to think of the other reasons, honestly, since I'd go mad with paranoia."

Ginny snorted; Hermione hadn't changed.

"But if there are other reasons, they won't perform them in front of the children," Hermione explained. "So my best bet is to spend a lot of time with Narcissa, who seems harmless enough, or around the children."

Ginny nodded once more and glanced back over at the rest of the visitors. Lucius had one hand clutched around a glass of brandy, and the other resting lazily on Narcissa's leg. Draco sat alone, opposite Severus, listening intently to the story he was being told.

"So what's it like living with Draco?" she asked, resisting the urge to grin when Hermione glared at her.

"Completely and utterly _intolerable_!" she gasped, rolling her eyes, "He does everything over the top around me, just to bother me, so naturally I snap at him, causing us to have a row! It's like we're back in school! I'm waiting for the 'Mudblood' comments to start coming!"

"I can imagine," Ginny sighed, smirking, "But... You have to admit... He's gotten better looking."

Hermione quickly looked over at him, and shrugged, "I honestly haven't noticed."

"How can you not? You live with him, Hermione!"

"I'm usually too busy telling him off to check him out, Ginny."

"Well," Ginny shot her a smirk, "maybe you should start taking the time..."

* * *

Lucius joined in one the laughter amongst the small party and took a small sip of his brandy. He suddenly felt Narcissa slide a hand up his leg and he grinned, shooting her a raised eyebrow.

"Love, would you be a dear and go check on the children?"

He groaned, not quite expecting that, "I'm sure they're fine, Cissa."

He wasn't in the mood to march across the Snape Manor just to see if three teenagers and a five year old were misbehaving.

"Please, darling," she whispered. "Just see if they're getting hungry, it's nearly eight."

"I suppose we should eat soon," Ginny commented from across the room. "Hungry, Hermione?"

"A little," Hermione answered. Lucius watched Severus look Hermione Granger over for a moment. He knew his friend would feel a little uncomfortable with her in his house, but he was doing a marvelous job at hiding it.

"I suppose we can go see how far along the cooks are, Miss Granger, if you're hungry," Severus commented, rising and crooking his arm for her to take. She cleared her throat and nodded, hurrying over to him and linking her arm with his. Ginny moved to Severus' chair and immediately began conversing with Narcissa.

"You can call me Hermione, actually," Hermione stated as the two walked towards the kitchens, Lucius' eyes burning into both of their backs. He wished he could have gone to the kitchens.

"Draco, go check on your children," he snapped, causing his son to jump.

Narcissa swatted his leg, "Lucius, I asked you to check on them. _Go_."

Her tone left no room for arguing, and he stood up, grudgingly, and departed, grumbling loudly the entire way up to the parlor Severus had put his grandchildren in. He knocked on the door, drawing their attention away from their Muggle device for a moment, "Dinner should be ready soon."

He noted they had already had a few snacks, most likely courtesy from the spoiling house elf standing near the back of the room. House elves had a tendency to spoil children. He remembered Dobby would do anything and everything for Draco before he went off to Hogwarts. Lucius remembered the countless times he had to beat the little thing for giving Draco ice cream before every single meal.

"Okay, thanks," Eloise said finally, shutting off the machine and standing up. "What are we eating?"

"I haven't the slightest idea," he replied, his eyes traveling over the three as they walked towards him, "but whatever it is, you finish it. Understood?"

"Yes, Grandfather."

He frowned; something wasn't right. Weren't there four of them? His eyes widened, "Where's your sister?"

Shane paused and glanced down at Kevin, who shrugged, "We thought she went to go sit with you..."

Lucius let out a low growl, "Go downstairs for dinner... I'll go find her."

They nodded and nearly ran off as he glared at them. It was bad enough he had to take the trillion mile hike to get up to this room, now he had to search the never-ending castle to find a five year old girl.

He searched all the bathrooms on that floor, and made a few checks in the spare rooms and libraries. That damn girl was just like Draco!

Draco had a habit of disappearing when he was younger. Not when they went out, but usually around the house, and he'd make it his life's task to not be found until Lucius' patience was at its end. He stopped suddenly, remembering where Draco usually went off to. He let out a soft groan and hurried down to the dungeons. When he arrived, he found the door unlocked, and he drew out his wand, muttering, "Lumos!" before rushing down the stony stairwell. Most Pureblood families had dungeons merely for show. Most of the homes belonged to the family, which meant the dungeons were passed on from generation to generation, but that didn't mean they were used. Lucius only remembered using his dungeons on rare occasions for either frightening people into giving information, or testing out a few of the machines with Narcissa.

He smirked at the thought.

A loud sniffle came from a darker corner of the large room, and Lucius whipped around, spotting Annie sitting on the floor, poking at her knee. When the light shone on her, she looked up and gave a weak, yet teary smile, "Hi, Grandfather."

"What happened?" he demanded urgently, igniting the torches on the wall and hurrying over, kneeling in front of her.

"Loo and Kevin and Shane wouldn't let me watch Lion King," she explained, rolling her eyes dramatically. "So I went to go look around... and I came down here... And I tripped..."

Her lip began to quiver and she looked down at her knee. Lucius sighed loudly and hoisted her up and set her down on one of the stairs, "Let me have a look."

"It's not too bad," she muttered. "Shane has had worse."

"I'm sure he has," he murmured absentmindedly. Her knee was scraped, though bleeding a little. All it needed was some healing herbs, and maybe a band aid, and she would be fine.

"Does anything else hurt?" he asked.

She nodded and held up her hands, "My hands hurt."

He examined them with a small smile, noting that they probably cushioned her fall, and would sting a little at the moment.

"They look perfectly fine to me," he stated. "Maybe just a little sore. Now... Why were you down here? It's not good for young ladies to be down in a dungeon."

She shrugged, "I was bored."

"Next time you're bored, go bother one of your siblings," he laughed. "No more visits to a dungeon, unless you're with me or your father."

"Yes, Grandfather," she responded, lowering her eyes.

He smiled, "Well... Dinner is ready, or should be... Shall we go eat?"

"Can you carry me," she asked, her eyes suddenly going very large, making her strangely adorable. "My leg hurts."

Lucius shifted his weight back and forth, then sighed, "I suppose, if your leg hurts."

"It really does!" she exclaimed. He leaned down and she wrapped her arms around his neck, making it easier to pick her up and carry her back to the dining room.

Lucius had a feeling she could have walked there just fine, and he had made a mistake in picking her up the first time. She just looked so innocent and ... oddly cute, he found it hard to say no.

When the pair entered the dining hall, he noticed everyone was seated.

"Annie!" Narcissa cried, standing up quickly, soon joined by Hermione.

"She just took a little tumble," Lucius explained. "Scraped her knee... Draco... Take her upstairs and look after it."

Draco moved to him swiftly, and whispered, "That's all that happened?"

"Yes, she'll be fine," Lucius muttered, handing Annie over to his son. "Just clean her up, and hurry back down for dinner... Are you hungry, Annie?"

She looked back to the large dinner table, that was now overflowing with food, and nodded vigorously, "Yes! Maybe I don't need anything for my knee!"

"We just need to make sure it won't get infected, Pumpkin," Draco stated. "C'mon... I'll take you. Tell me what happened."

Lucius settled himself down at the table and began to help himself to some food.

"Where was she, darling?" Narcissa inquired, a frown on her face, "Is she all right?"

"She's fine," Lucius stated, "and I found her in the dungeons."

Eloise, Kevin and Shane exchanged shocked looks and quickly went back to their food when Lucius shot a glare in their direction.

"In the dungeons?" Ginny repeated, her eyes wide, "How... It should be locked? Why wasn't it-"

Severus leaned over and whispered something in her ear, causing her cheeks to tint slightly, "Never mind... I see how that could have been missed."

Hermione sent her a disgusted look and rolled her eyes.

"But everything's all right?" Narcissa asked again, her voice sounding a little panicked. "She wasn't... touching anything down there, was she?"

"I found her sitting in a corner," he replied truthfully, pouring some gravy over his chicken, "I doubt she is tall enough to operate anything properly, Cissa."

His wife exhaled in relief, but his gaze turned on the other three teenagers sitting in silence at the table, "As for you three... Don't think this won't go overlooked."

Kevin gulped. "I plan on giving you some sort of punishment later... Don't let your sister wander off."

"She does it all the time though," Shane argued. "She can usually handle herself!"

"She's five," Lucius snarled, "and in a new, large house... How could she not have hurt herself?"

"Well maybe the dungeons should have been locked," Shane fired back, "or maybe she's too curious for her own good!"

Lucius opened his mouth, ready to argue back, but Severus cut him off, "_Don't_ argue, boy. It's as much of your fault as it is hers, and ours. Your grandfather won't torture you over it, but she was your responsibility up there."

Shane stared down at his food, defeated, or just tired of trying to fight his point across.

"We'll discuss it later," Lucius said coolly, deciding to drop it, for now.


	14. School Sucks

**-insert disclaimer- **

Today = Hell.

We are starting school again, and Shane is off to his sixth year, and I am starting my fifth, and of course Kevin is in his fourth. None of us actually want to get up before the sun has risen, but that's what we have been forced to do. The rules for Hogwarts has changed. No one is living in the houses anymore, though the Common Rooms are still in use for those students of whom they belong to.

Yes, we got a big long letter about all the changes.

Voldemort is the Headmaster now, and I'm sure it will be a huge joy to see him. Kevin told me he had already seen him when he was rescuing Annie from Hogwarts a little while ago, and apparently the Dark Lord isn't much of a looker. We are no longer allowed to stay at Hogwarts, and must return home to our homes once the day is done. The latest we are allowed to stay is ten o'clock, and only if we are using a classroom or library. To get to school, the Apparating ban has been lifted, so most of the older students will be apparating into some of the check-points. The rest of us are allowed to Floo in, fly in, or take the train in daily, but the general summary of the paragraph Lucius read us was that the staff no longer cared how we got to school, as long as we were there.

I slowly entered the kitchen, rubbing some sleep out of my eyes. Dad frowned, "Why are you wearing an _orange_ tie?"

I stared down at it, wondering why the big, bright Gryffindor badge on my sweater had not given it away, "Because that's my house colour?"

Shane and Kevin had their green ties on, hanging loosely around their necks, and their faces were shoved into two large bowls of cereal.

"I don't want you wearing that," he stated, folding his arms. "Not in this house."

"Too bad," I grumbled, "I'm in Gryffindor, so live with it."

"I beg your pardon?" he snarled.

I rolled my eyes, "Yell at me when I'm more awake to understand why, Dad."

He let out a defeated grumble and buried his face behind a newspaper. I looked at Shane and he smirked, then returned to his cereal.

"Morning!" Annie said cheerfully, standing by the door of the kitchen, a stupid grin on her face, "Going to school?"

"Yes," we all groaned in unison.

She smirked a little more, "Have fun! I'm going back to bed, and sleeping in until ten!"

We glared at her and she flittered off, still smiling. She always does it to us; every single year she comes down to make fun of us. I personally can't wait for her to start schooling.

When we finished our breakfast, we hurried around up in our rooms, grabbing book bags and books, along with our house cloaks.

"I heard a rumour you're going to be the only Gryffindor coming back," Kevin chuckled as we walked towards the large fireplace in the main hall. "You nervous?"

I shot him a look, "Where'd you hear that from?"

"A friend."

Kevin hears most of his gossip from his friends at school, and being the Slytherins they are, most of it is made up junk.

"I have a feeling more Gryffindors will show," I shrugged. "We're brave."

"Not that brave," Shane countered from behind me, snatching the Floo bucket from the top of the mantel. "Most of the Gryffindors were old Dumbledore supports... Even though he's been dead for years!"

The statement had been true; there was a painting of Dumbledore hidden in every dorm room in our house, and it was no mystery who the Gryffindors sided with.

"More people will be there," I said firmly, grabbing a handful of Floo powder. "I know it."

* * *

My first few steps into the Great Hall of Hogwarts were wonderful. I had missed the school so much over the holidays, and after all the clamor of moving in with the Malfoys, this was the only place that seemed familiar to me.

Then I noticed it.

Kevin was right.

Everywhere I looked, all I saw were green ties and snakes.

Boy snakes.

"Shane," I breathed, stepping closer to him, "where are all the girls?"

"I was just wondering the same thing," he mouthed. "What the fuck?"

My eyes peeled through the crowd, until I finally stopped a mass of curly black hair, belonging to a friend of mine in Ravenclaw, Tracy Young.

We had always been in each others' classes, and for the first two years we weren't exactly the best of friends, but over the past three years, we've gotten rather close. I left Shane and Kevin when I noticed a group of their friends were heading towards them, and rushed through the crowd.

"Tracy?"

She turned back, "Eloise! Oh thank Merlin you're here! Where are all the girls?"

I hugged her quickly, and whispered, "I don't know... Where's the rest of your house?"

"It seems like I'm the only one who showed up," she stated, glancing back at her empty Ravenclaw table, "and I'm guessing it's the same for you."

I turned back to the Gryffindor table, which was the third one in the line, next to the Slytherins, and I shrugged, "Maybe more will come soon?"

"Hopefully more girls will come soon," she whispered, "I can see boys from first to seventh year... But I don't see any girls!"

A tall man dressed in teachers robes grabbed our arms and dragged us out of the Great Hall, much to our shock. He stopped in the hall and my eyes widened when I spotted Voldemort standing in front of us, his eyes sweeping down to our house badges.

"So we do have a variety this year," he chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "I can have new robes made for you soon."

I frowned, and while forgetting my fear of him, raised an eyebrow, "Why would we need new robes? These fit fine."

His already thin eyes narrowed at me, "Because they do not say _Slytherin_ on them."

"What's your point?" I inquired, "I'm perfectly happy being a Gryffindor, and Tracy likes being a Ravenclaw."

Tracy pinched my arm in fear and I winced, trying awkwardly to move my arm enough to get her off.

"You'll watch how you speak to me," he hissed softly. "We've brought back some of the older more... effective punishments this year."

My eyes widened and I gulped.

I remember hearing Snape and Lucius talk about punishments that were forced to stop when they started their fourth year.

Hanging students by their thumbs...

Whippings...

Spells...

And with Voldemort as the mind behind all these, there's no telling what could happen.

"We can be in Slytherin... It's okay," Tracy said quickly.

Voldemort smiled, "That's a good girl... Ms. Young, I take it?"

She nodded and her grip on my arm tightened a little more. I grunted and with as much subtlety as I could muster, unclawed her nails from my arm.

"I still don't want to change," I stated. "The hat put me in Gryffindor, and I'm staying in Gryffindor."

"That's perfectly fine, Ms. Malfoy," he sneered. "You seem to be too stubborn for Slytherin anyway."

I wasn't too sure if that was a good thing, but I took it.

"Um... Headmaster?" Tracy squeaked, "Where are all the other... girls."

Voldemort grinned and made a teepee with his hands as he spoke, "You'll notice the very small amount of students here... I've only allowed Purebloods to return to Hogwarts, and it seems your families are as traditional. Most of the girls, in previous times, were not allowed to study."

My jaw dropped, "So no more are coming?"

"Is that a problem, Ms. Malfoy?" he asked sharply.

I felt my fists closing, not quite enjoying the 'Malfoy' name at the end of mine, "Of course not. Tracy and I are in different houses... But seeing as we're the only girls, may we sit at the same table?"

Voldemort nodded to the teacher and departed, either ignoring my question, or agreeing to it.

I grabbed Tracy's arm and dragged her back into the Great Hall, looking around in disgust at all the boys. I like having mixed schools, and boys are usually a lot more fun to joke around with then girls, but there are just ... so many of them.

Shane was seated with the usual Quidditch jocks, which included Darius Zabini, looking as piggish as ever. Kevin was also sitting with his large group of friends. I've always been slightly envious of his abilities to make friends so fast. But he always has been funny, which helps a lot. My humour is more dry and sarcastic, which for some reason offends people.

"So... Are we going to be the only girls, all year?" Tracy whispered as we took a seat at the Gryffindor table. I watched her, and rolled my eyes as a hint of excitement sparkled in her eyes.

She had always been a little intimidated by other girls, always saying they were prettier then she was, and that was why boys never went for her.

I suppose now that she has only me to fight with for a boy's attention, she'll be quite happy.

"Maybe some more will come," I muttered, shrugging my shoulders, then quickly changed the subjects. "Wonder what our teachers will be like..."

* * *

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!" I grunted, nearly slipping on my damn shoes as I rounded the corner, running as fast as I could through the empty halls. I had exactly two minutes to get to my class, or I'll be late.

So far, today, I've had Potions, which was tolerable, unfortunately with Slytherins. Then I had History of Magic with Tracy, or well... I guess I should say Ravenclaw. We were, sadly, the only two people in class. Professor Binns is still teaching it, and we are still day dreaming through it.

Dad says they tried to get rid of the old ghost when he was in his seventh year of Hogwarts, but the ghost just wouldn't leave, thus forcing the staff to keep him.  
Now, however, I have Dark Arts, no doubt a class made up by Voldemort himself. I keep wondering whatever happened to _Defense Against_ the Dark Arts. I spotted the door to my classroom and sped up, only to have a tall man appear in the doorway, give me a look, then slam the door.

I stopped dead in my tracks and my jaw literally fell open. He saw me coming! And all he did was smile and slam the door! I stormed over to the door and pushed against it, but to my shock, it was locked.

My temper began to curdle as I banged against it with my fist. The door flew open and a square faced man appeared, his cold blue eyes staring down at me hard.

"Listen, sugar, I don't know what you're on... But normally a little tap gets the job done."

His accent was American, maybe somewhere from up North, and it was sarcastically spiteful. I glared at him, "You saw me coming, and slammed the door..."

"You just don't look big enough to be in this class," he stated, raising an eyebrow. "Intro to Dark Arts is down the hall, cupcake."

He began to shut the door again, but I jammed by foot between the door and the wall, "I just _happen_ to have skipped a year."

"Well shut me up and paint me blue!" he droned, opening the door as wide as he could and bowing, "Please... Bring that gifted brain into my room... Grace us with your presence."

I strode into the room and glanced at the clock; I wasn't even late!

Shane smirked at me and I sent him a less then amused look, then slammed my books down on the desk and sat in the only seat left; next to Darius.

"Why you all heated up, lovely?" Darius asked, leaning closer to me and smiling.

I rolled my eyes, "Just because this desk is big enough to fit two people, doesn't mean you need to sit that close to me... Move _away_."

"Now, correct me if I'm wrong," my new teacher inquired, rubbing his temples, "but I don't remember saying you could actually... talk. So sit down, shut up the Hell up, and put your books on your desk."

"They are," I snapped, motioning to my books.

He smirked, "You see, princess, I had to add that little command in there so you wouldn't get all distressed with the shut the Hell up comment. I'm not allowed to just say that anymore."

I rolled my eyes and leaned back in my chair, folding my arms over my chest.

"Now," he said loudly, "I'm Professor Diert, but you will never use that name, or suffer under pain of death. Mr. D is the only thing I'll respond to, understood?"

We all nodded and I slowly inched my chair away from Darius.

"I used to teach at the Salem Academy for Boys," Mr. D continued, "and they brought me here because I can handle smartass little pieces of skin, like yourselves. I don't take shit from anyone, and I don't have a problem with handling a lot of you on my own. Hey Shane, how ya doing?"

My brother's smirk grew wider and he leaned back in his chair arrogantly, "Pretty fucking terrific, Mr. D."

"Good answer," Mr. D stated, folding his hands behind his back. "When I ask how you're doing... I don't give a damn about your life, I'm making conversation that a teacher is forced to make with his students. So you reply with something along the lines of 'I'm doing fine and I know you don't want to keep this conversation going, so I'll shut up now, thanks', got it?"

Jeez this guy is obnoxious. I knew from that point on, it was going to be a very long year.

"Now open up your books to the first page, and read until class is over," he ordered with a falsely cheery smile on his face, "and Merlin have mercy on the poor soul who bothers me within the next hour about what we're doing in class. Just read."

I flipped open my book and stared at the first few lines, not really concentrating on the task at hand. This... guy was just so arrogant and annoying. He must get some sick pleasure by ordering people around, since he settled down at his desk, put his feet up, and started to munch on an apple.

Shane was seated in front of me, talking about the usual rubbish (which would be Quidditch for anyone who hasn't picked up on that yet) with his friend. I leaned forward and whispered, "Shane... _Shane_!"

He turned back, "What?"

He always hated the fact that I was in one of his classes, and was usually really rude to me when I was with him.

"Has this guy taught you before?" I asked.

He nodded, "The entire time I was there he was my teacher for Defense... Guess it's kinda ironic he's here with me."

I rolled my eyes, "He seems like a jerk."

"Just don't push his buttons-"

"Oh sugarplum," Mr. D called from the front, "Little lady... I don't recall asking you to talk, once again... Get your nose back into the book, where it belongs, or I'll put it there."

"Why doesn't Shane get told off?" I demanded, "He was talking too!"

"Go see the Headmaster, I don't have the time to deal with you."

My insides turned, "What?"

"Go see the Headmaster... Are you deaf now too, creampuff?" he asked, smirking at me, "I don't want to deal with you."

"What happened to all that crap about you being able to handle any of us?" I asked.

He glared at me, "Darling... You've got four seconds to get out of my classroom before I remove you with my wand."

"But-"

"One."

"You're being totally-"

"Two."

"Unfair! I haven't-"

"Three."

"Done anything wrong-"

"Four."

I only narrowly avoided getting hit with a curse as I flew out of the classroom, slamming the door behind me.

* * *

I knocked on the Voldemort's office door and sighed, entering after I heard a muffled "What?" from inside. I had been in the Headmaster's office a few times before, and it still looked the same. Walls lined with bookshelves, thick, plush carpets, and light trickling in from all the windows. Never would have thought Voldemort would _like_ the layout of the office.

He glanced up from his work, looked back down, and groaned, "Can I help you, Ms. Malfoy?"

"I have a feeling we're going to be seeing a lot of each other this year," I stated, rolling my eyes. "May as well call me Eloise."

He stared at me and I shifted back and forth, "Or Ms. Malfoy is good too... Whatever floats your boat."

I love that saying. We had a huge thing, a long time ago, that we tried to say 'Whatever floats your boat' as many times as we could fit into a conversation. It was a sad waste of time, and something that Annie never understood.

It was worth it in the end.

"So is there a reason for you making my morning just a little brighter?" he asked, sitting up a little straighter and looking me directly in the eye.

I instantly felt uncomfortable and began to fidget with my uniform, "Um... I got sent here for... talking back?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Talking back? To who?"

"Mr. D."

Voldemort grinned evilly and folded his hands together, "Oh yes... D is a fine attribute to this teaching staff..."

He paused for a moment, and his smile instantly turned into a snarl, "Don't you give him any cheek. If it wasn't your first day back I'd have you sent to the dungeons to be disciplined by Filch Junior."

Aunt Hermione told me stories about Filch Senior, who was the caretaker in her days at Hogwarts. He had a mangy cat named Mrs. Norris, who in the end, turned out to be an animagus woman, who was his wife.

Eerie, I know, but now his son is working at the school, and has been for the past three years.

"I'm ... sorry, Headmaster," I muttered, still fumbling with my uniform sleeve, "I'll try and not give him... cheek."

"Good... Ten points from Gryffindor for causing trouble on his first day of teaching," Voldemort groaned, returning back to his paperwork.

My mouth hung open slightly as I stated, "But... But it's the first day of term... And I'm the only one in the Gryffindor house! How can I get points taken away when I don't have any?"

"Then you're at negative ten... Get _out_."

* * *

"Your sister's on fire already," Darius chuckled, poking Shane in the back with his foot. "She always like that?"

"What, ready to start a fight?" Shane pondered the notion for a moment, "Yeah... Pretty much."

"So you okay with her being here?" one of his friends asked, a sly grin on his face.

Shane frowned, "In this class? Yeah, why not?"

"No... Here in general..." his friend droned, rolling his eyes. "You know there's going to be tons of guys after her... Whether they like her or not, since she and that Ravenclaw girl are the only two of their... kind here."

Shane froze; he was right. Besides Tracy, his sister was the only girl in the school, at the moment. Even the usual Slytherin girls that followed him and his friends around weren't at school that day.

Had a school just for girls been made and they weren't notified?

"So I'm thinking of getting that Ravenclaw to... tutor me," one snorted, winking at the group. "You know... Help me earn my extra credit."

"Well you can all go for the Ravenclaw tramp," Darius stated. "Eloise is mine."

Shane's head whipped back and he snarled, "Keep your fucking hands off my sister... If you haven't noticed by now, she isn't interested."

"Oh I seem to have hit a nerve."

Shane's hands turned to fists, but he simply turned away, making a mental note to pound Zabini once they were out of class.

* * *

Draco stared at the fridge, groaning as Annie tapped her foot impatiently behind him, "Are you going to make me a sandwich, or do I have to do it?"

"I don't want you to handle the knives," he stated, grabbing some bread and a few other ingredients from inside. "You may hurt yourself."

It was the other children's' first day of school, and the manor seemed oddly quiet with them gone.

He hadn't seen his father this happy in a long time.

"I can make my own sandwiches," Annie stated as she followed him around the kitchen, shadowing his every move. "Why can't I?"

He thought he had already answered the question, but apparently not, "Because I don't want you handling the knives."

"She isn't incompetent, Draco," Hermione proclaimed as she entered the kitchen, her typical scolding look in her eyes. "Just let her make it."

"She can hardly reach the counter," he drawled. "I'll make it."

He wished she wouldn't butt into every aspect of his life, at least the ones concerning his own children. He knew he could handle them, on his own, without some snotty know-it-all's help.

"Annie doesn't like tomatoes," she chided, snatching the slice away before he could put it on. "She likes lettuce, mayo, ham and mustard."

Draco looked down at the ingredients before him and noticed none of them were what Hermione had listed. He let out a frustrated growl and dropped the knife on the counter, "Fine then, Granger... Why don't you just do it, seeing that I'm complete rubbish at this!"

He began to stalk off towards the door, but Hermione let out a tutting sound and grabbed his arm, wrenching him back, "Don't act like such a brat, Draco Malfoy. Now... Go back to the fridge and get a head of lettuce, a jar of mayo, some of the ham, and the mustard. Annie, sweetie... Go get yourself a glass of juice and go sit in your special room... You can have lunch with TV today."

She released a happy squeak and pushed past Draco to the frig, retrieving a pitcher of orange juice, then scuttled off to find a cup.

"Aunt Hermione?" she called suddenly, "You're making my sandwich... Right?"

Hermione shook her head, "No... I'm going to teach your father how to make it."

She glanced at Draco and smirked, "Doesn't daddy know how to make a sandwich?"

"Not the kind you enjoy," Hermione answered before the sarcastic comment at the tip of Draco's tongue could be released onto his daughter.

Annie shrugged her should and filled up a glass of orange juice, put the pitcher back into the frig, then skipped out of the room.

Draco instantly felt himself send Hermione a scalding glare as she grabbed a plate from one of the cupboards and handed it to him, "Set this on the counter."

"Can't I just get a house elf to do this?" he groaned, setting the plate down and crossing his arms.

Hermione pursed her lips together and her eyes narrowed, "Malfoy, this is for your daughter. You can't make short cuts and get someone else to do it just because _you_ don't know how."

"I know how to make a sandwich!" he snarled, "It isn't a complicated procedure!"

"Annie is a finicky little thing who won't eat it if she doesn't like how it looks," Hermione stated, sticking her nose in the air. "It must be on white bread, cut diagonally, and the crust _must_ be cut off and left on the side of the plate."

Draco's eyes widened, "Why the bloody Hell would I do all that for her? Can't she just eat it as it is?"

"She won't eat it if it's not done like that," Hermione argued, shaking her head. "Now get some lettuce out from the fridge, and _don't_ question me."

Draco turned back to the fridge, grumbling, and retrieved the items she told him to.

She hadn't changed; she was bossy in school, and she was bossy at home. It was hard to believe he was living with her.

"Right... Now make sure the slices aren't too big, or she'll take them out."

"Why is she so damn picky?" he demanded, carefully slicing up some lettuce, "Where does she get it from?"

"I wonder," Hermione muttered sarcastically, shooting him a look, which he caught full blast of.

He straightened up, "I'm not _that_ picky."

"I never said anything," Hermione countered as she delicately sliced off the crust of the two pieces of bread.

Draco shot her a glare, of course she didn't say anything. She didn't have to say anything, since her less then subtle hint was all in the tone of her voice.  
He cut the piece of lettuce with a little more force then he meant to use, but it was out of frustration.

When they both finished chopping what was needed to be chopped in silence, Hermione quickly put the mayo and mustard onto the bread, stating, "The mayo has to go on one side, and the mustard on another. They are never allowed to touch."

Draco personally wondered what would happen if he 'disobeyed' his new daughter's wishes, and decided he would try it one day. She needed to learn not to be so spoiled, but perhaps he was the only one who noticed this.

"And there we are..." Hermione sighed, "Finished. Now go bring it to her."

"What am I, her servant?" he spat, stepping away from the plate Hermione was handing him.

She rolled her eyes, "You're her father, who _loves_ her and is going to bring her lunch."

He wished she wouldn't use the 'loving father' excuse for everything, since it made him feel guilty if he didn't do what she told him to.

Sending her a heated look, he snatched away the plate and stormed out of the kitchen, trying desperately to ignore her smug look of satisfaction.

* * *

Once Annie had completed a rather thorough inspection on her sandwich, she dug in and completely ignored Draco. He wondered why he went through all the trouble of listening to that insufferable Hermione Granger if he wasn't even going to get a 'thank you' from his daughter.

Rather disgruntled, he stomped back to the kitchen to get himself some lunch, only to walk in on Hermione and his father chatting.

"You know what we were just discussing, Draco?" his father asked, a light smile on his lips.

Draco raised an eyebrow, "I haven't the slightest idea, Father."

"Well... Now that the children are off to school, and will be studying a great deal of the week, your father thought I should get a job," Hermione exclaimed shyly, twisting her hands together.

Draco nodded, "I suppose it would keep your mind active."

He wondered what Hermione would be like if she didn't have something to read.

She would probably go mental.

"Then, I suggested she could work for Lynn, since the old dear is quite busy."

Draco nodded absentmindedly, then froze, "Lynn? My Lynn? As in... my secretary Lynn?"

His father smirked, "Unless you know another Lynn that works? I find Ms. Granger to be quite intelligent... And she'll work well with Lynn. I want you to take her with you to the office tomorrow and introduce the pair."

Draco opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to determine whether he had just been given an order, or a suggestion.

"Oh... I don't know if Draco would want me around the office," Hermione interrupted.

His father waved her off, "Nonsense... The office is dreadfully boring and the people are overworked, except Draco. You can assist his secretary, and maybe even take over her job for a day or so. She needs a little bit of a break."

His father shot Draco a wry smile, then left, leaving an awkward silence settling over the pair.

"You... You don't mind if I come to work for you, do you?" Hermione asked finally.

Draco let out a small growl, "No... I suppose Lynn could use some help. As long as you don't bother me-"

"Oh, thank you Draco!" she exclaimed, giving him a quick hug, "I've needed to do something academic for such a long time, and now I finally can! Thank you, thank you!"

He stood still as she scurried off, babbling to herself. He was a little numb from being hugged by Hermione, that it took him a few moments to register what had just happened.

This was his father's doing.

He stalked off to his father's study and stepped inside, spotting his elder sitting at the desk.

"You just want her out of the house," Draco snarled, pointing an accusing finger at Lucius. "You're happy that Eloise, Shane and Kevin are at school, and if Granger and I have to go to work every other day and whatnot... and Mum goes shopping or out... Then all you have is Annie around the house!"

Lucius grinned, "An excellent hypothesis, Draco. Now... Prove it."

Draco shot him a glare and stormed out, knowing it would not be worth the argument.


	15. It's an Ordinary Sickness

**-insert regular disclaimer here-**

Nearly everyone was awake this morning. Aunt Hermione was going off to work with Dad, Lucius was just up for the Hell of being up, and Grandmother was going out that day. And of course, we had to be up to return to the new official Hell hole: school.

My day turned out tolerable. My teachers, all of my teachers, were really biased against me, either because I was a girl, or I was in Gryffindor, and I could barely wait to get home. The good thing about our week is that Severus is tutoring us for two days; Thursday and Friday. Since he would not doubtedly die if he had to teach all three of us _all_ day long, our days are cut into thirds on those two days, giving us more time to work on the homework from Hogwarts we're getting assigned.

Death Eaters are mean teachers when it comes to assignments.

I never saw it coming, actually.

Aunt Hermione actually seemed to be in a good mood, why I don't understand. How anyone could be happy about going to work at some boring old office was beyond me.

"Daddy?"

Dad's head shot up at Annie's pitiful voice coming from the entrance to the dining hall, "Yes, Pumpkin?"

"I... I don't feel very goo-"

Before she could even finish her statement, she had doubled over and thrown up all over the floor.

"Oh dear, Annie!" Grandmother gasped as she, Aunt Hermione and Dad instantly rose to their feet and hurried over to my sister, who, once she had finished her first vomit, started to throw up again.

Annie can get pretty sick from time to time, and when she gets sick, she stays sick for a good week or two. Kevin used to be like that, but he grew out of it.

Lucius set his paper down and rose, "I'll get her a calming potion... Draco, get her to her room."

It's not like we didn't care about our sister being sick, but we didn't exactly want to jump up and get her insides thrown up on us when we tried to help.

It's happened before.

A lot.

Annie let out a frustrated wail and clutched her stomach, "It hurts!"

"I know, sweetie," Aunt Hermione cooed, hurrying back from the kitchen with a wet cloth, "but you're sick, and something wants to make you better... That's why it's happening."

She wiped off Annie's mouth and Dad picked her up, while Grandmother got rid of the mess with a flick of her wand.

"You think she's okay?" Kevin asked when the three of them swept out of the room, cooing over Annie as she began to cry.

I shrugged, "She will be... If not, we'll cheer her up when we get back from school."

Shane glanced down at his watch, "Fuck! We're late!"

All three of us instantly turned into a blur and departed from the room, rushing around the house to get our supplies.

* * *

Lucius skimmed over the vials of potions in his dungeons until he finally spotted a green one. It didn't look like the typical calming potion, which was blue, instead it was a special concoction he saved to only use on his family. They deserved the best, after all.

He hurried up the stairs, only to nearly get run over by Kevin as he scuttled towards the fireplace.

"See you after school!" he shouted, leaping into the fireplace and shouting, "HOGWARTS!"

Lucius glanced at the clock and grinned; the boy was late.

"Move, jackass!"

"We're both late, so shut up!"

Lucius shut his eyes, asking for some patience, and opened them to reveal Shane and Eloise hurrying towards the fireplace, using a joint Floo system to get to school.

He couldn't wait until they could Apparate.

"Here's the potion," he announced when he finally reached Annie's room, handing it to Draco. He son looked very flustered with the whole situation, and nearly slipped on the rug walking back over to Annie's bed.

"What is this?" Hermione inquired, grabbing Draco's wrist before he could pour it into a glass.

Narcissa smiled, "It's merely a family recipe for sickness... We like to keep it quiet."

She gave Draco a look, then released his wrist. Lucius rolled his eyes; clearly she didn't trust him enough to treat his own granddaughter.

"Oh, Draco!" Narcissa exclaimed after looking at the clock, "You're going to be late if you don't hurry along... Your father will look after Annie while you two are at work."

Lucius smiled at the thought of everyone leaving, but the smile instantly fell. If everyone left, that meant he would be forced to look after Annie. He could always put a house elf in charge of her...

Narcissa would kill him.

He once put Dobby in charge of Draco while he went to a poker game down at the pub, and his wife was out with her sister. When they both returned, Draco was bundled up on the couch, chocolate and ice cream piled up around him, and Dobby catering to his every wish.

The next day he had to have been ten times sicker.

"Where are you going today, dear?" he inquired as Hermione and Draco said farewell to Annie.

Narcissa smiled, "Bella needs me to help out around the house today... She's redecorating."

He frowned, "Again?"

"She's very picky," she chuckled, turning away and giving Annie a kiss on the forehead. "Get better, darling... Grandfather will do anything you ask him today."

Annie nodded weakly, "Bye."

"Get better, sweetie," Hermione said softly, giving her another kiss on the head. "We'll be home soon."

"Bye, Pumpkin," Draco chuckled, brushing some hair out of her face, "and remember, anything you ask Grandfather, he has to do."

She nodded and shot Lucius a grin.

Draco stopped for a moment as he walked past, leaning close to Lucius, "Have fun, father..."

"You told her that only because I'm sending Granger to work with you," Lucius snarled quietly, shooting Draco a glare.

His son smiled and clamped a hand down on his shoulder, "Excellent hypothesis, father... Now... Prove it."

He hated losing to Draco.

* * *

"What assignment?" I demanded, staring Mr. D down as he stood in front of my desk.

He glanced up the sky thoughtfully for a moment, "Golly gee, I don't know, princess... The assignment I gave at the end of last class?"

"You sent me to the office last class!" I snapped, "How was I suppose to know!"

"Why didn't you come back then?"

"I had other classes to go to!"

Ugh! Never have I had a teacher that bothered me so much! I just wanted to grab his square head and slam it down on the desk!

I straightened my shoulders and glared, "Fine... Tell me the assignment and I'll hand it in next time."

"It'll be late," he stated, turning away from me, "and I'll expect it turned in at a NEWT level, since you'll have more time to work on it."

"Okay, fine," I snarled. "What is it?"

I hate it when this happens. The entire class is just... watching you and your teacher. It's happened before, trust me, but it's just so embarrassing.

Hopefully I'm not blushing, something I used to do.

"Since you're getting more time," he sighed, folding his arms. "A ten page write up on the effect of the Imperio Curse, thirteen words per line."

What?

Thirteen words per line? Is he serious?

"What?" I demanded, "Thirteen words... How can you do that unless you count out every single line when you're done writing!"

"Looks like that's what you'll have to do," he sighed, grabbing a piece of chalk and writing LESSON PLAN across the board. "Now please, sit down, your highness... I'd like to start my lesson sometime this century, thanks."

Ugh!

* * *

"This is Lynn Ovris, my secretary," Draco stated, introducing Hermione to a portly older woman with small glasses, ones that reminded her greatly of McGonagall's back in her earlier days.

They had corrected her eyes now with a Muggle invention called Laser Eye Surgery, which made her vision a thousand times better.

"And Lynn, this is Hermione Granger," Draco continued, motioning to her. "She's... um... A friend of mine."

Hermione tried desperately to not roll her eyes, and managed to smile warmly as Lynn rose to shake her hand.

"My father thought she should be your assistant," Draco stated, running his hand through his hair. "So um... Get doing whatever you need to uh... do. I have some papers to sort through."

He nodded to Lyn and disappeared into his office, shutting the door firmly behind him.

Hermione stared at the door, a little shocked that he would just leave her standing there helplessly.

"I... I'm sorry I've been forced onto you," Hermione apologized quickly, turning to face the aged woman. "Mr. Malfoy thought you were over worked and could use some-"

"Lucius Malfoy wanted you out of the house," she chuckled, summoning a chair with the flick of her wand and setting on a kettle. "He just has a different way of saying it."

Hermione frowned and took a seat, clasping her hands lightly in her lap, "I suppose you could say that..."

"Don't take offense to it," Lynn laughed, removing her glasses and setting them down on her desk. "Lucius enjoys a small family, which is why he only had one child. I suppose with five new people in the house, he's been wanting his own space for quite some time."

Hermione shrugged, "He is very... reclusive."

"Trust me," Lynn sighed, "I've been with the Malfoy family a long time... I used to work for Lucius when he was in the Ministry... They're all the same."

Hermione had noticed the very distinct similarities between father and son. They were both very formal when speaking to their family members, something Hermione never was when she was growing up, and they shared the same characteristic snob that made them seem more aristocratic then they really were.

"What about you?" she inquired, standing up and slowly walking towards the kettle, pouring two cups of tea, "How would someone with your bloodlines end up with the Malfoys?"

Hermione shifted awkwardly and accepted the cup of tea, "Excuse me?"

"Don't take it as disrespect," Lynn reflected, settling herself back into her large chair. "I'm the same as you... My parents were Muggles, but I turned out just fine."

"How are you still... around?" Hermione whispered, "Everyone I know that's survived here are Purebloods... I barely had a place to live before the Malfoys."

"Good connections," she stated, shooting her a wink. "It pays to work for the Malfoys... They do well to their human employees."

Hermione shivered, remembering listening to Dobby tell everyone about his experiences. The Malfoys were not kind to house elves, that much was sure.

"Anyway," Lynn cleared her throat, "back to you, m'dear... How are you with the Malfoys?"

"I raised Draco's children when their mother was working," Hermione explained, "and when I wasn't working... Their mother and I were very close friends. Mrs. Malfoy thought it was only fair that they offer me somewhere to stay as long as the children were under the Malfoy roof."

"Is that the only reason?" Lynn inquired, stirring her tea slowly with a small spoon.

Hermione pursed her lips, "I... I suppose. I don't see any other reason. Draco and I hate each other, and Lucius isn't exactly very... happy with me. The children like me though, and Narcissa can tolerate me..."

She paused and felt her cheeks colour, "I'm sorry... I talk... a lot."

"It's a good thing around here," she complimented, "if you're intelligent... Most of the people around here are idiots."

Hermione snorted; from what she had seen, she had to agree.

When she and Draco got off the elevator at his floor, and noticed it was a huge room filled with cubicles, and inside were wizards and witches dressed in ties and suits, and expensive hair styles, basically doing nothing. Some were asleep, and many straightened up when Draco marched past them, but returned to their activities once he had left.

She noted the disgusted scowl on his face during the entire hike through his office.

There had been a few wizards she recognized from her school days, most were in Slytherin. Draco had informed her that most of his friends were in upper management, working alongside him, and were located in different sections across the Ministry.

He seemed rather smug about it.

But of course...

Draco Malfoy would not be Draco Malfoy without being smug.

* * *

"Grandfather?"

Lucius groaned loudly and slammed his book shut. This had been the seventh time in the past half an hour that Annie had called him up to her room.

Luckily, she had not thrown up again, but she was still quite pale and could lose it at any moment.

He was certainly growing tired of going up and down the stairs constantly, when usually all she wanted was to see if he would come.

But he never knew when she could _actually_ be in trouble, so he made the same damn trip every time.

He stepped into her room and raised an eyebrow, "Yes?"

"Can I have some ice cream?" she inquired, "Mummy used to give me ice cream when I had a tummy ache."

Lucius had a feeling her mother used to give her ice cream to shut her up, but that was just his opinion.

"You are not going to feel better with ice cream," he chided, letting out a soft sigh. "Your Grandmother and Aunt said you should only be eating breads and soft food for the day-"

"Ice cream is soft!"

"And _**no**_ dairy products," he stated, emphasizing his point.

Annie pouted for a moment, then pulled Bo into her lap, "Can Bo have some? He's hungry!"

"Dogs do not like ice cream," Lucius stated, wondering how long he would have to keep this going.

Annie glared, "How do you know? Bo may like some!"

"I'm not going to argue this with you," he growled, raising a finger, "I was told what you allowed to eat and what you are not... Your Aunt may kill me if I give you ice cream... You may have a piece of toast, if you are hungry."

Annie rolled out of bed, grabbed her teddy and strolled over to him, "So what should we do today?"

Lucius blinked, "What?"

"Nobody is here," she stated, "So what should we do?"

"You may do whatever you please," Lucius grumbled. "I have some reading to do."

He turned away from her and began making his way towards the staircase, growling when he noticed both she and Bo were following him.

"You always read," she whined, running up and taking his hand. "Take me for a walk outside."

"Why?"

"Because it's pretty outside," she declared, pointing to the sun, "and Bo wants to go out... Please?"

Perhaps if he tired her out with a long walk, she may just come back and sleep the rest of the day away.

Lucius grinned wickedly.

"Go get dressed, then I'll take you for a walk."

She squealed in delight, running back to her room with her dog at her heels, then slamming the door behind her.

A faint scratching came from the window beside him, and he pulled it open, allowing Draco's owl to fly in. He snatched the letter from the creature's claw, then shooed it out of the house, much to the animal's discontent.

_How is Annie?_

__Lucius scowled at the bland letter and grabbed a piece of parchment, scribbling across it feverishly.

* * *

"Hermione?"

Draco hurried out of his office, a smirk on his face, and made his way towards the bushy haired witch. Lynn had decided to give her some filing to do, only a job that would take an hour at the most, so they could say they had done something that day.

She watched the pair interact from under her glasses.

"Look what father sent back," Draco laughed, handing her the letter. She grasped it and leaned back against the filing cabinet, reading, "_Things are just bloody wonderful. That brat of yours is sending me into old age early with my constant treks up and down the stairs. She keeps wanting ice cream, reminds me of you. And now she's roped me into walking around the property! You'll owe me for this._ My... He sounds like he's having a fun day."

"Come on," Draco chuckled, grabbing her wrist and pulling her towards his office. "I need a few witty remarks to send back at him... You can file later."

Lynn watched the pair from under her glasses and smirked.

* * *

"Hey Annie," I greeted as Shane, Kevin and I crept into her room after school. "How you feeling?"

Annie was snuggled up in her bed, a zillion stuffed animals surrounding her, and Bo curled up at her feet. She made a face and sighed, "Grandfather wouldn't give me ice cream, but he took me 'n Bo for a walk and we talked."

"You talked?" Shan repeated, smirking slightly, "About what?"

"Lotsa stuff," she replied, clutching her stomach, "Oooh..."

Poor little thing...

"Can you guys do it?"

Bitchy little thing...

"Do we have to?" Kevin groaned, "We just worked all day at school?"

"Pllleeeeease?" she whined, sending us Bambi eyes, "It would make me feel better!"

"Promise to not bug us for the rest of tonight, unless you really need something?" Shane sighed, removing his black cloak and tossing it onto a chair.

She nodded and sat up a little straighter, "Promise!"

I groaned and Shane and Kevin stood a little behind me on my right and left, "Go, Loo."

Me - "LUAU! Aaaare you hungry for a big, fat juicy treat? Eat my buddy Pumba here because he is a treat! Come on down and dine, on this tasty swine... All you have to do is get in liiiiine... Are you achin'?"

Kevin and Shane - "Yup, yup, yup."

Me - "Fooooor some bacon?"

Kevin and Shane - "Yup, yup, yup."

Me - "Heee's a big pig!"

Shane and Kevin - "Yup, yup."

Me - "You can be a big pig too..."

All - "OY!"

This obsession with Lion King has to stop.

Annie laughed shrilly and clapped her hands, "Do it again!"

"No... We have homework to do-"

"Ooooh my stomach!"

"FINE! One more time..."

I really do hate her sometimes.


	16. Outings

**INSERT REGULAR DISCLAIMER HERE!**

Thankfully, there is only one more day we are forced to spend at Hogwarts.

It's Wednesday, and that means tomorrow we start our two day lessons with Severus, something I highly look forward to.

Of course, I _can_ handle myself at Hogwarts, since all I really need to do is walk quickly through the halls and not too many people stop to pick on me. If I walk slow, they make a habit of cutting me off and looking me up and down, it's disgusting really. But I suppose it can only be expected, I am one of the only two girls at school.

Tracy enjoys the attention, even if it is from future Death Eaters and rich, pompous snots. I've insulted them pretty badly when they come and try to flirt with me, so I've noticed the slight decline of boys trying to get in my pants.

Of course, Darius Zabini has yet to give up, despite the malicious glares Shane sends him every time the pig is around me.

"Ms. Malfoy?" Professor Crouch called, raising an eyebrow, "Care to focus in class? Or is something outside more fascinating than Herbology."

I thought it was a bit of a joke to have Barty Crouch Jr. teaching Herbology. Dad nearly wet himself laughing when I told him what Crouch was teaching. Supposedly, he was a fierce killer, and somewhat insane. Maybe Herbology soothes him.

"Sorry, sir," I mumbled, returning my attention back to the board, beginning to take down the detailed drawings of the Albatraz plant and it's uses.

Voldemort thought it would be funny, I suppose, to move me up a grade level in Herbology too. Just because I was smarter then the idiots in Slytherin from my year, doesn't mean I'm a genius at this!

A note fluttered down onto my desk and I glanced around, wondering who sent it. Rolling my eyes, I opened it, silently hoping nothing would jump out at me from inside.

It's happened before. Shane charmed one my notebooks to spray ink at me every time I opened it.

I made him grow an extra set of ears...

Mum nearly killed us both.

_Eloise,  
Care to accompany me to Hogsmeade?  
Circle one -  
Yes.  
Of course.  
How could I say no?  
Darius  
_  
I wrinkled my face in disgust and grabbed a quill, scribbling quickly -

_Fuck you, you horrible little pig.  
Eloise ~  
_  
I folded the note back up, but before I could toss it across two desks to him, Professor Crouch snatched it away, his eyes narrowing at me, "Passing notes, eh?"

"Well-"

"Let me have a read then," he droned, opening the note and skimming the paper, a smirk suddenly forming on his face. "Oh Zabini... Struck out _again_. Tsk."

Darius's face reddened slightly and he glared at me while our classmates chuckled loudly.

"All right, all right," Crouch boomed, crumbling up the note and tossing it into the garbage. "Let's try to stay focused on plants... Since they are just so... fascinating."

I noted his very restrained look as he talked about his lesson; clearly he's annoyed with Herbology as I am.

I like him.

* * *

Hermione pulled Annie's hair up into pigtails, but her little niece decided she looked better in a single ponytail, so Hermione was forced to change her hairstyle, yet again. She had a feeling Annie picked this trait up from the Malfoy side of the family, since she could barely recall when her mother, or herself for that matter, spent so much time on their hair.

"Can Daddy come with us to the park too?" Annie asked suddenly, glancing up at Hermione in the mirror. Hermione tried to hide her scowl, "Do you want your dad to come with us?"

"Yeah..." she stated, rolling her eyes, "Daddy needs to get out more... Both him and Grandfather only read when they are at home. Don't they get bored?"

"Reading is very enjoyable," Hermione argued gently, wrapping an elastic around Annie's thin hair, "I always love sitting down to read."

"But they _always_ read!"

Hermione had to agree with her niece. She never would have taken Draco as one to read. He seemed to be allergic to the library during school, since the only time she had seen him in there was to torment some more first year, or send his cronies to get him a book.

"Well," Hermione sighed. "If you would like your father to come, then I suggest you run along and ask him."

She hurried out of her bathroom and disappeared, most likely running off to Draco's study to ask him. She pondered upon his reply. He would hate going anywhere with her, but if Annie was asking him, he would have a difficult time refusing.

Hermione ran a brush quickly through her hair, smiling at how tame it had finally become. Around her sixth year, her hair had changed from frizzy to large curls, which was a nice change of pace - mostly because she learned how to _handle_ her hair. It used to take her hours to make her hair look somewhat presentable in the mornings, but now, it was easy.

"Taking Annie to the park?" Narcissa inquired as Hermione passed her in the hallway.

She nodded, "Yes... I figured I should do something, since I'll be at work again tomorrow."

"Enjoy yourself," Narcissa mused, "I would accompany you, but I find walking around all day at a park is getting to be too tiresome."

"That's why Annie is dragging Draco along," Hermione chuckled, shooting the woman a smile. "If he comes, I suppose."

"I don't think he will tell her no," Narcissa laughed, "but do enjoy yourself, nonetheless."

Hermione nodded and bid Narcissa goodbye, then continued to the downstairs, only to find Draco helping Annie get her shoelaces done up.

"Haven't you been taught how to do this?" he groaned, kneeling in front of her, his long fingers fumbling slightly over the small laces.

Hermione grinned, "Of course she has... She just wants you to do it."

"Aunt 'Mione, shh!" Annie hissed, holding her finger to her lips and glaring.

Draco rolled his eyes, "Now that I know, I'm not going to do this anymore."

Hermione snorted; he would do it again. He would do it because Annie asked him to, end of story.

"So where are we going?" Draco inquired when he finally stood up, summoning his shoes and slipping into them.

Hermione wanted to tell him there was no _we_, or there shouldn't have been, but she held her tongue about it, "We're taking Annie to a Muggle park, then out to lunch."

"Why does it have to be a _Muggle_ park?" Draco inquired, his face contorting with disgust, "Don't we have a wizarding park...?"

"Annie likes this park," Hermione argued back, her eyes narrowing, "and she likes the restaurant nearby."

She usually used Annie has a defense for her reasons, since it managed to shut Draco up, and keep him from any crude comment that was on the tip of his tongue.

"Fine," Draco grumbled. "As long as we don't associate with any of them, I'll be all right."

"You better be," she hissed. "It's for Annie."

He rolled his eyes and beckoned his daughter closer, "Are we using a Portkey?"

"Only to the central station," Hermione explained. "Annie likes to ride the train... The Muggle train. It makes a stop right by the park, so we'll be taking that. The next train arrives in twenty minutes."

"You'll like the train, Daddy," Annie commented, grasping his hand. "You can see everything! We even go over a bridge and up a hill!"

Hermione knew Annie loved the area. She had taken her out on a train ride once before, a few days after she arrived in the Malfoy manner, and along with Narcissa, they did a day of sightseeing, admiring the neighboring Muggle town for its aging beauty. The historic houses and lovely gardens made it such a joy to walk through, and Hermione intended on forcing Draco to have a tour, whether he liked it or not.

Annie would be easy enough to keep content, Hermione merely needed to purchase her an ice-cream and she would keep quiet.

The girl was feeling much better, and had stopped throwing up, but they were still wary of giving her any hard foods, just in case.

* * *

"Father is going to have a field day when he hears what you're putting me through," Draco commented as Annie looked through one of the shops in the train station. It had only taken them a few seconds to arrive, which meant there was another fifteen minutes or so to kill before their train arrived.

Hermione shot him an annoyed stare and folded her arms, "This isn't that bad, Draco Malfoy. No one is paying you any attention, thus showing they don't care, and will leave you alone. You don't need to worry about catching Muggle germs here, I assure you they aren't real."

Draco glared at her, "I _know_ they aren't real."

"Good," she stated, shooting him a smirk, "I was just making sure."

Draco rolled his eyes and looked at a postcard stand, deciding to just block her out.

He wouldn't have agreed to come along for this little trip if Annie hadn't climbed up onto his lap and asked him so sweetly. He would have lied to anyone else, stating he had work to do, but he found it too difficult to lie to her. Sometimes he thought she knew he was lying, which was slightly unnerving.

Hermione knew when he was lying too. He supposed seven years together in their youth would have made his lying quite noticeable, but she clearly held herself back when it came to calling him on it.

Annie tugged on his sleeve, "Daddy, can I get this?"

She was holding a small bear with the town's crest on the toy's red shirt. Draco loathed the idea of her having anymore Muggle toys, and Hermione stepped in before he could tell her no.

"Maybe you can have it when we come back," she stated, taking the bear and setting it on the shelf. "You don't want to get him dirty at the park now, would you?"

Annie shook her head and sighed, "No..."

Hermione patted her head and Annie led them out of the store and out into the open outdoor station, their track close by.

"We'll take a different train back," Hermione whispered. "She won't remember the toy if she doesn't see the shop."

"Clever witch," Draco mused softly, shooting her a look.

She smirked and glanced down at her train ticket, then up to the oncoming train, "This is ours... Come here, Annie."

Annie hurried back to the pair and grasped Hermione's hand as the woman led them both towards the large, silver train. It looked much sleeker then the old Hogwarts Express, and Draco wondered if the Muggles were ahead when it came to this sort of technology.

It was a slightly disturbing thought.

Hermione stepped up the two steps onto the train, keeping Annie close to her in front, as Draco tried to remain close behind the girls. Even if it was Hermione, she seemed more ideal to stand close to, instead of the rather large man that was boarding after him.

"Sit here, Annie," Hermione ordered kindly, finally picking a vacant area to sit in. Annie plunked down in the seat next to the window, Hermione beside her, and Draco sat in the seat across from his daughter.

"I wish Bo could have come too," Annie sighed, a glum look passing over her face. "He would have loved the park."

"He wouldn't have liked the train," Draco stated soothingly, shooting her a smile, "but I asked your Grandfather to take him for a walk this afternoon."

Draco smirked at the enraged facial expression that dawned on his father's face when he inquired he look after the dog, but luckily his mother was close by, keeping Lucius from snarling at him.

Whether or not his father had taken the dog out, he had no idea, but if he didn't, he would be forced to deal with Annie when they arrived home.

A rather attractive young Muggle man took a seat next to Draco, adjusting his tie and holding his briefcase on his lap. He was clearly someone of importance; someone like Draco. He glanced at the man from the side of his eye, then frowned as he watched the Muggle lock eyes with Hermione for the merest of seconds, then smile.  
She returned it meekly, then looked away, licking her lips and gazing out the window, her cheeks tinting slightly.

"Oh for Merlin's sake," Draco muttered, rolling his eyes and returning his gaze to Annie. His daughter was completely oblivious to the flirting happening between the other two people in the four seated area, but Draco was completely disgusted with the whole situation.

The man was a Muggle! How could she just go flirt with him? Coy little thing she was, however, and only returned the Muggle's longing stare with a few very mischievous side glances.

The train pulled to a stop and Draco rose, "C'mon then... This is our stop."

Annie jumped up enthusiastically and wiggled out from the seats before Hermione could stand. Draco grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of her seat, rolling his eyes when she shot the man one last sly look.

"He was a ruddy _Muggle_," Draco hissed as they made their way out behind a horde of other passengers. The line stopped suddenly and Draco pressed up against Hermione when she stopped moving ahead.

"I know he was a Muggle," Hermione growled, looking back over her shoulder as he tried to put some distance between them. "That doesn't mean I can't look!"

"You were doing more than looking," he prattled back quietly, rolling his eyes, "I'm surprised you two didn't just start shagging right then and there."

An elderly woman shot him a look of disgust as he passed her seat, but he merely returned it with a scowl and continued along behind Hermione, thankful the line was finally moving again.

* * *

"I'm not that sort of girl, Malfoy," Hermione snapped, finally annoyed with Draco's constant rambling about her flirting with the man on the train.

She thought he would have given up once they exited the train, but he merely held it in until they were sitting alone. Annie had nearly raced off to the playground, joining up with a small group of blonde girls to play princesses, or something along those lines. Hermione settled down on the wooden bench, and Draco sat beside her, finally continuing his rant about how the man was a 'filthy Muggle' and she shouldn't have had any business flirting.

"Besides," she snarled. "You don't have any right to tell me who I can and cannot flirt with. It's a free country."

"You're looking after my children," Draco replied smugly, "I should have some say in your love-life. I want to approve any men that would be around them."

Hermione shot him a disbelieving look, "That's not how this will work, at all. You don't get a say in my personal life," she sighed, "If I ever have one."

Her hand would have flown up to her mouth, but that would have only embarrassed her more. The last sentence had just been a little slip.

Draco smirked, "Getting bored of the single life, Granger?"

She rolled her eyes, "I have more important things to focus on then a relationship anyway."

"Like what?" he snorted, "If you say work, I may just die of laughing... And the children have three other adults that are looking after them, along with you. So really, what else is there?"

Hermione's brain fumbled over the countless excuses she _could_ have said, but nothing came out.

Draco, looking ever so smug, relaxed against the bench and smirked, "You know... I always pictured you married after school..."

"So did I," she sighed, deciding if she was living with him, she may as well be able to talk to him, "but that didn't quite turn out."

"Well... Who was he?" Draco pressed, nudging her arm.

She sent a quick look over to Annie, just to make sure she was safe, then shrugged, "No one."

"It was Weasley, wasn't it?"

Hermione's cheeks flushed madly and she looked away. Draco snorted, "Really? Weasley? Oh come on, Granger... What could have possibly offered you? His family was worth as much as Annie's shirt. There's no sense being upset over _him_."

Hermione frowned and glared at Draco, "I wouldn't have married him because he offered me things... I would have married him because I loved him."

"Wasn't he mad over you?" Draco inquired, watching Annie slide down a long, yellow slide, squealing happily.

Hermione shrugged, "I suppose he was."

Hermione was mad about him back then, and had been mad about him ever since she started school. It was so difficult to attend his wedding and watch him kiss another woman, to watch him exchange vows of love was heart wrenching. But she had moved on, she had to if she wanted to survive.

"He's married now," she stated after a moment of silence. "Luna will never be Looney Lovegood again."

"He married Lovegood?" Draco asked, his face wrinkling, "Merlin's beard... What a match."

She cast him a searching look and he rolled his eyes, "Poor as the lowest pauper, and insane like my Aunt Bellatrix."

"Luna isn't insane," Hermione countered loyally, "She's..."

"She wore a pair of shrunken onions on her ears, and told me they were the latest in mosquito protection," Draco drawled, looking at her and raising an eyebrow, "How is that not insane?"

"She's just... unique."

Draco snorted loudly.

* * *

"Oh, these would look nice in the front," Ginny cooed, motioning to a large set of petunias. "Don't you think, Severus?"

"Yes, dear."

He had been dragged to this damn Muggle town, one close to the Malfoy residence, by Ginny, since she had been informed that Hermione was taking Annie to the park, and wanted to meet up with her friend, if they ran into each other. He and Ginny retreated to the little town on several occasions, only after Narcissa had taken Ginny along on a shopping spree in the quaint little shops. Severus now knew why Lucius hated going to the town; everything was so perfectly kept, the houses were splendid in their own fashion, and the people were friendly.

Everything was so Muggle is could be sickening at times.

"Should we get some?" Ginny asked, squeezing his hand to bring him back to the conversation.

Severus made a face, "I don't think the house would look good with flowers, actually."

"Well you have enough in the cupboards," she groaned, rolling her eyes and carrying on down the walkway, glancing in a few shop windows as she passed, "I guess I can just live with those."

He smirked, "But, remember, those are for my potions... Don't go around smelling them."

Ginny flushed brightly and she shot him a narrowed look. He grinned.

There was a certain plant he had ordered in, and was unfortunately out when the plant arrived. Ginny had taken an interest to the lovely plant, and once she had taken a sniff, was incredibly horny until she found him. He couldn't complain about it, but Ginny was rather frustrated with the fact that she was randy and didn't understand why.

Severus explained it was a plant that gave off a toxin to heighten sexual arousal, and he had ordered it for a potion, keeping his little secret of wanting to use the potion on her to himself.

"I'm not going anywhere near your plants," she snapped, giving his arm a swat. "I've learned."

"I assumed you rather enjoyed your last encounter with my... plants," he murmured, leaning down and nipping her ear.

Her eyes widened and she pushed against his chest, "Severus! We're in public!"

"Yes we are," he purred, "We haven't done it in public yet... What do you think?"

He reached down and cupped her behind, causing her to squeal, then let out a nervous giggle, her eyes darting to the other Muggles passing by.

A tiny figure suddenly hugged Severus from behind and he jumped, releasing Ginny immediately and looking down to see what had latched onto him.

"Hi, Uncle Severus!" Annie squeaked, smiling up at him happily.

He smiled, "Well, hello Annie. Where might your chaperones be?"

She frowned, "What?"

"Where's your dad and Aunt Hermione?" Ginny chuckled, giving Severus's arse a quick pinch before sweeping Annie into a hug, "Hello, beautiful."

He smirked; so she wanted to play, did she.

"Hello, Aunt Ginny," Annie greeted, grasping her hand. "Daddy and Aunt 'Mione are having lunch with me at the cafe and they saw you two... And dad said I should come get you."

Severus cursed his damn godson, knowing he sent Annie over here just to bother him when he was with his wife.

"I suppose we shall have to go return you," Ginny laughed, tucking a stray piece of red hair behind her ear, "and have a cup of coffee."

Severus watched her hair as she walked, the gorgeous colour shining in the sunlight, and the way it swayed when she walked. He never thought he would have taken a liking to her hair colour, but now he could not picture her without it.

He tugged at the neckline of his brown Muggle sweater; he hated wearing it. He had very few Muggle clothes, but they seemed to be more popular for witches and wizards lately. He was with the older generation, along with Lucius and Narcissa, and stuck to traditional dress. In his case, his lengthy black attire was perfectly fine.

"Hey, Uncle Sev," Draco greeted, rising to shake his hand. "We noticed some PDA and figured it could only be interrupted by one person."

"Thanks for that," Severus growled, squeezing Draco's hand a little tighter than necessary.

Draco winced and pulled away, "And good afternoon, Ginny... Lovely as usual."

"Thanks, Malfoy," she chuckled, leaning across the table to plant a kiss on his cheek.

Severus eyed Hermione as she rose and walked around the table, taking her hand and kissing it, "Ms. Granger, ever the pleasure."

"Call me Hermione," she said evenly, returning his forced smile. "A pleasure to see you too, Severus."

He knew it was a lie, but he still smiled through it, just as she did.

* * *

"Lucius, darling," Narcissa called from behind her book, "weren't you supposed to take the dog for a walk?"

Lucius looked up from his work and sneered at the back of her head, "It's the children's dog, Cissa... I'm not looking after it."

"Draco asked you ever so nicely," she commented as she turned the page. "Couldn't you do it, just this once?"

He rolled his eyes and did not respond, instead continuing his letter to Avery about an upcoming meeting he wished to attend.

"Lucius, didn't you hear me?" she asked, shutting her book and turning back in her armchair, a perfectly shaped eyebrow raised.

Lucius groaned and set his quill down, "Yes, dearest, I heard you... But I'm busy now."

"You can finish your letter later," Narcissa stated, standing up and straightening herself out. "We're going for a walk."

"I just went for one yesterday," he stated, "I think-"

"I want you to take me for a walk," she purred, leaning across his desk, giving him a good show of her cleavage. "Please, Lucius?"

He inhaled sharply, staring down her top with interest, "I suppose you've swayed me... Let me grab my cane."

She grinned and sauntered off, calling for the dog as she headed downstairs.

He cursed himself for being so weak, but perhaps he could get something out of this.

He grinned at the thought, grabbed his cane and hurried off after his wife, an evil smirk slowly forming on his face.

* * *

I slowly stepped out of the fireplace, greeted by the sounds of Bo barking from the parlor, and Lucius telling him to either go see what was happening or shut up.  
I made my way to the source of the noise and stumbled into a room with Severus and Ginny sitting on a couch, Ginny chatting with Aunt Hermione, Severus with Lucius, and Dad was in the middle of a conversation with Grandmother.

"Hello, darling," Grandmother greeted. "How was school?"

I rolled my eyes, "Hell-... Not the most pleasant place in the world."

Lucius shot me a glare that warned me to rethink my first statement.

"Come, sit with us," Ginny ordered, patting the spot on the couch between her and Hermione. "Tell some Gryffindors your troubles."

I sighed, finally happy to hear those words. As I dropped my bag on the floor, a note fell out of it. No one had noticed me still standing there, since they had all shifted their conversations around. I quickly squatted down and picked it up, reading it swiftly.

_You are going out with me, whether you like it or not. I don't do well with humiliation, especially in front of all my friends. So best be on your guard... I'm watching you.  
_  
I gulped, not knowing whether to hate Darius more than ever, or start to be afraid of him.


	17. Homework Pub Nights

**-insert disclaimer-**

I can see why Aunt Hermione never liked having Severus Snape as a teacher. He was intelligent, but extremely strict. None of us took him as one for constant sarcastic stinging remarks, but we endured it for two days straight.

Shane and I are prone to fighting; that's just how it is.

When Kevin was too small to pick on, he picked on me, and I remember biting him, a lot.

However, our spats don't last for long, and this one was no different. At breakfast he was rather snotty, but as soon as Snape sent the first sneering comment about my runny potion, we decided to band together, instead of standing divided.

"Bloody Hell," Kevin grumbled, crumbling up a paper and tossing it aside, doing the same with his quill, "I hate this thing..."

He had purchased a quill that was _supposed_ to tell him what to write, according to the store owners, but the most recent comments were merely insults on his handwriting, and a cold statement on his missing terms for Arithmancy.

I heard a gnawing sound coming from my chair leg, and I glanced down, my eyes widening when I spotted Bo chewing contently on a chair leg.

"Fuck, get him off!" Shane snarled from across the table, "Lucius'll kill me if he finds more teeth marks on the furniture!"

"He's just testing his teeth," I muttered, reaching down and pushing the puppy away. His claws proved useless and he slid across the tile floor and I quickly repaired the leg with a flick of my wand.

I returned to my writing, glaring at the damn essay Snape had given me to write, when I suddenly heard Bo chewing at the chair again.

"For Merlin's sake," I grumbled pushing the chair back and standing up. He glanced up at me, his tongue lolling out and his tail wagging. I rolled my eyes and picked him up, then departed, deciding I may as well put him outside. The Malfoy Manor, as we had only just recently learned, had wards set up around the perimeters, so that only family members could come inside the property line. Bo had tried to cross it, but we watched him get thrown back in by some invisible force, which was reassuring. Aunt Hermione had only been able to get in since someone from our family usually accompanied her.

"Hello darling," Grandmother greeted as I passed her.

I stopped, "Hey, Grandmother. What are you doing?"

"This flower arrangement is completely dreadful," she commented, absently pulling out a flower here and sticking it there. "These house elves of ours have no sense of taste."

I giggled, "Yeah... You have much nicer taste then they do..."

She smiled, but stayed concentrated on her rearranging of the flowers.

I scuttled off, opening the back door and gently tossing Bo outside, "You can come back in when you stop chewing things!"

He seemed completely content to be outside, and tore off, barking at a few birds feeding at the small feeder in a tree. I sighed and shut the door, only after kicking a few dead leaves back out that had blown in with a gust of wind.

"Is that thing still chewing my furniture?" Lucius drawled, his arms folded and eyes narrowed.

I caught his reflection in the window and slowly turned around, dawning an innocent expression, "He's just a puppy."

"One that needs to learn _not_ to chew my furniture," he snapped before stalking off down the hall, disappearing with a swish of his cloak.

I rolled my eyes and made my way back to the study, dreading the return of my essay.

The fireplace in the main hall burst to life, and Ginny Snape stepped out from the receding flames, brushing a few bits of ash from her hair.

"Evening, gorgeous," she greeted, flicking her shoulders once more. "How are you?"

"Stressed with the homework your husband insisted on giving us," I grumbled, rolling my eyes once again.

She snorted, "I sympathize... Has he given you anymore then six inches yet?"

I shook my head and she laughed once again, "Oh, it gets so much harder... I promise."

"Thanks," I grumbled, stalking off to the study.

* * *

"Hullo, Ginny," Draco greeted, giving her a quick kiss on each cheek. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm actually here for Hermione," she stated, the corner of her lips twitching slightly, "I'm taking her out tonight."

Draco cocked an eyebrow, "Taking her out? Where?"

"That's none of your business, Malfoy," she chided playfully. "Hermione can go wherever she pleases."

"I was just curious," he grumbled, rolling his eyes, "I'm allowed to do that, right?"

She shot him a grin and he sighed. Ginny Weasley... Well, Snape now, had changed so much since school. She used to rather annoy him, but atleast now he found her company enjoyable.

"Ginny?" Hermione called, poking her head out of the dining hall, a cup of tea in her hands, "I knew I heard you."

Draco wrinkled his nose at the rather loose Muggle clothing she had on, but he bit his tongue to keep from commenting.

"For Merlin Sake, Hermione," Ginny droned, folding her arms. "Go put the tea away and get on a short skirt... I told you I was taking you out tonight?"

Short skirt? Hermione _Granger_ owned short skirts?

"I... I thought you were joking," Hermione stammered, quickly ducking back into the kitchen and returning tealess, "I honestly didn't think you'd take me to a pub... You're married, Gin."

"I'm not doing this for me," the redhead stressed, scuttling past Draco and linking arms with Hermione. "You haven't been on a date in almost a year... It's getting a little pathetic really."

Hermione glanced over at Draco and he raised an eyebrow, causing her to flush and mumble, "Well I've been... busy."

"And now you aren't," Ginny laughed, pushing her towards the staircase. "Now go put on the skirt I sent you, and find a top that matches... I found the perfect place... They have a telly that hooks up to the football matches."

Draco cringed at the vulgar Muggle terms that rolled off her tongue, and he knew Snape would have sent her a rather icy glare if she had used them around him.  
They chatted for a good twenty minutes about anything that came to mind, mostly about the children. Ginny was keen on having atleast one of them stay with her and Snape, since she was ready to test him out with kids. Draco had a feeling he would be lending Annie out on a regular basis, the way she was talking.

"Oh, Ginny this is completely absurd!" Hermione groaned, tromping down the stairs in one of the slinkiest, yet appealing black skirts Draco had ever seen. He found it difficult to tear himself away from her curvaceous hips and creamy legs, ones that he always passed off as scrawny during the rare occasions he saw them at school.

"You look good, Hermione," Ginny complimented, rambling on about how it suited her body and about her top and other womanly rubbish that Draco could honestly give less of a damn about. He could barely tear his eyes away from Hermione's hips...

"Draco?" Ginny snapped, causing his eyes to whip back up to the smirking redhead, "We're going to Wicket's End, just in town... Maybe you can join us later."

He nodded and as Hermione pulled on a pair of shoes, Ginny cocked an eyebrow, "And she has a face... Remember that if you talk to her."

He shot her a glare as both women apparated off.

* * *

"Come on!" Ginny shouted at the TV, watching the Muggle men kick the ball to each other, "Come on! He's bloody open! Oh, what're you doing? Gits..."

Hermione laughed loudly at her friend and took a few of the peanuts from the tray beside her, gingerly nibbling on one as Ginny ordered another round of drinks.

"I figured you could use a night out, like a normal person," Ginny explained when the drinks arrived, nearly tossing back her entire glass.

Hermione smirked, "I'm sure you and Snape are regulars at all the hottest clubs."

Ginny's cheeks flushed and she shook her head, "Well... Maybe I needed a night out, too."

They turned their attentions back to the television up behind the bar, yelling something along with the rest of the half-drunk men seated around them whenever something wrong happened. After a while, they grew tired of cheering for Muggles, and tried their best to have a decent conversation. It was hard to talk over the loud music, but they managed. Hermione mostly spoke about her spying, and how it would be easier now that she was inside the Malfoy Manor. Ginny was rather quiet on the subject, and Hermione guessed it was mainly because of her spouse.

A hand ran up Hermione's back suddenly and she jumped, turning back to a pair of handsome, though clearly drunk young men.

"We noticed you two ladies sitting here all by your lonesome," one laughed, resting a hand firmly on Hermione's bare knee. "Care for a dance?"

Hermione wrinkled her nose, the smell of alcohol just radiating off him. Ginny snorted as the man's partner leered at her, "Married, love."

She held up her hand, displaying a wedding ring. He shrugged, "We can share 'er then."

"No one is sharing me," Hermione snarled, pushing the hand off her knee. "My friend and I would like to continue our drink, alone, if you don't mind."

The one man placed his hand back on her leg, sliding it up her thigh, "Oh come on... One dance?"

"No!" Hermione growled, pushing his hand off again.

Ginny glared, "Piss off you wanker... No means no."

"Go back to your footy," the second man sniped, turning her forcefully in her chair towards the television screen as the other man grabbed at Hermione's upper arm. "One dance!"

* * *

Draco sat at a table in the back of Wicket's End, watching Hermione and Ginny make a fool of themselves, along with the rest of the men, by shouting at a little box with moving pictures every so often. Ginny seemed more at ease in a pub, her posture relaxed as she took a large swig of her drink. Hermione, on the other hand, kept glancing around, her hand pulling the hem of her skirt down any chance she got. He wished she wouldn't, since he was actually enjoying the view. Her legs were hypnotizing.

He did not chug his drink down, as many of the men around him seemed keen on doing. He preferred to keep his wits about him, especially in a Muggle bar. The girls seemed to be satisfied with their 'bootfall' or whatever it was, and had began speaking in low voices, their heads close together. He wished he could hear what they were saying, since both seemed to have sobered up from their cheering before.

His father had discussed his concerns with Hermione spying on them, so Draco made every effort to make sure she was kept out of the attic, where a good portion of Dark Artifacts from the old days were stored, and away from the files hidden in his father's study. Voldemort had given Lucius the job of documenting all of the Death Eaters, asking him to keep a file for each one, since Lucius Malfoy had been one of the first. Draco was a little envious that Voldemort gave his father special attention, but the young man was slowly working up into his favour.

He glanced back at the girls, noting their cheerful expressions had returned, and they were babbling loudly about something or another. His eyes slowly wandered over Hermione, taking in her soft hair with some interest. During school it had always been frizzy. However, over the years she had tamed it, but only slightly. He preferred it a little wild, completely contrasting Ginny's straight look. Infact, both women were rather at odds. While Ginny was slender, yet strong, and with smaller breasts, Hermione had filled out over the years, much curvier then even her seventh year at Hogwarts.

Draco smirked and leaned back in his chair, studying her with interest. Just because he didn't like her wasn't a valid reason for him not to look.

A pair of men joined up with the girls, causing Draco to straighten up and scowl, his eyes drifting to the hand resting on Hermione's knee. His hand instinctively went for his wand, but he remembered magic was meant to be kept to a minimal when around large groups of Muggles.

He watched for a little while, taking in the annoyance on Ginny's face, and the slight distress appearing on Hermione's. When she finally gave his hand a shove away as it crawled up her thigh, Draco figured it was time to step in.

"Girls," he greeted as the Muggle pulled Hermione out of her chair. "Sorry I'm la-... Listen mate, you want to get your hand off her?"

"Who are you, her father?" the men snorted, "She promised me a dance."

"I did not!" Hermione exploded, wiggling uselessly against him, "Draco, really I didn't! Let go!"

Her frantic cries had gotten the attention of a few men sitting at the bar, and to Draco's surprise, they too rose, one rolling his eyes, "Rog... Just give it up. No woman wants you when you're this drunk."

"Fuck off," the Muggle spat, pulling Hermione a little more towards the floor. "She wants to dance."

"I do not," she grunted, stamping forcefully down with her spiked heel. The man, Rog or whatever, winced in pain and released her, shoving her back harshly into the bar. Ginny had to catch her from losing her footing.

"Bitch," he hissed, coming towards her before any of the observers could stop him. Draco stepped in just as the Muggle threw a punch at her.

He really only wanted to throw some sarcastic remark at the drunk, but instead his interfering earned him a punch directly to the face.

Hermione let out a gasp as a group of Muggles jumped on the Rog fellow, dragging him back as Draco spun back into the bar counter, feeling some blood rolling out of the side of his mouth.

"You take a punch well, Malfoy," Ginny complimented, grabbing a pile of napkins and handing them to Hermione, who daintily dabbed away the blood.

"Bloody Hell," Draco grumbled, snatching away the napkins and spitting some blood into them, hoping he hadn't lost a tooth, "And he was going to hit you with that? You'd have been passed out on the floor!"

"Sorry about him," the barkeeper mumbled, watching as the rest of the men in the bar hauled the shouting Muggle out. "Comes in here once or twice a week and does it to the first girl in a short skirt he can find."

Hermione's cheeks flushed and Ginny rolled her eyes, "Well... We were hoping for attention, not that kind of attention though."

"I ought to go out and hex him until he can't feel," Draco grumbled, gingerly feeling a bruise starting to form on his jaw.

Hermione pulled his hand away and pressed a handkerchief full of ice cubs against it, "Keep it there, and don't go after him. No magic around Muggles... You don't want people knowing wizards live in this town... Can you imagine what that would stir up?"

"A good fight," he muttered, glaring at the door. He placed his fingers on the handkerchief, only to catch Hermione's as she held it in place. Her fingers released the handkerchief and she pulled her hand away, touching it gently with the other, her cheeks permanently pink.

"Thanks," he stated, glancing down at the ice pack.

She smiled, "Thanks for... stepping in the way."

Ginny cleared her throat loudly, Draco only _just_ catching the end of her eye roll, "Can we go eat something? Draco... Treat two gorgeous women to dinner or something."

"I want to get cleaned up first," he chuckled. "We'll stop off at home, then I'll take you to a nice wizarding restaurant. I'm so surrounded by Muggles I may throw up."

Both women rolled their eyes, but accepted each of his arms, Hermione holding a little more gently then Ginny.


	18. Blockade

**Insert disclaimer here**

I glanced at the clock, and noticed that it was only nine, and it was a Friday night.

Sighing, I changed into my pajamas, trying to ignore the constant stomach cramps that kept screaming for relief.

It's the first time I've had my period while at the Malfoy Manor, and I wondered how disgusted I could make Lucius by subtly mentioning it.

However, even after taking a pain relief potion, they were still there, so I decided to see the only female in the house that understood my pain, Grandmother. I hated how her room was nearly two floors above mine, since that meant I would have to do more walking then I wanted, but I put up with it.

"Grandmother?" I called, tapping lightly on the half open door and sticking my head in, "Can I come in?"

She was seated on the bed, her hair up in a messy bun, dressed in a soft, pink nightdress, which was rather short. She glanced up from her book and smiled, "Of course, darling... Come sit with me, something wrong?"

"I have cramps," I grumbled, placing a hand on my stomach and crawling into the massive bed when she pulled the covers back.

"Oh, you poor dear," she cooed, pushing my hair behind my ears. "Let me order you some tea... I find it helps much more than any pain relief potion."

"Yeah... I tried one of those," I sighed, snuggling back into the large pillows as she called for a house elf, ordering me a tea.

I can't believe she sleeps in this thing ever night... It's so comfortable!

She summoned a few of my magazines, and we chatted until the tea arrived. After, she returned to her book, and I settled down with the tea beside me, reading my magazines contently.

"Have I been kicked out of my own bed?" Lucius inquired, stopping dead in his tracks as he entered the room leisurely, scowling at me.

Grandmother hardly even looked up as she replied, "Yes... Yes you have. Eloise and I are enjoying some reading time... I'm sure you can find something else to do."

I snorted quietly, then hastily looked back down at my magazine when he sent me a glare, leaving in a huff.

* * *

"I bought the damn bed," Lucius grumbled as he tromped down the stairs. "Yet I'm always the one who has to sleep on the couch..."

Whenever he and Narcissa had rather horrible arguments, something they did a lot of when they were recently married, she usually set a ward on the door and gave him a pillow, instructing him to find somewhere else to sleep for the night.

"I'll just be a few minutes," he heard Draco state from the main floor. "Need to get a new shirt."

He frowned, and leaned back against the wall as his son skipped up the stairs, jumping two at a time. Lucius noted the dried blood on his lip, and the bruise on his jaw, causing him to raise an eyebrow, "Don't tell me... Granger beat you?"

His son snorted, "Stepped in the way of some Muggle with his hands all over her... He decided he didn't like her anymore and went for a punch, unfortunately with me standing in the way."

"At least you defended a woman," Lucius sighed, knowing his quick tempered son had gotten into many bar brawls over the stupidest things. He assumed Draco was speaking to Hermione and Ginny before and he smirked, "Treating them to dinner?"

"Of course," Draco laughed, "Ginny conned me into it..."

Lucius smirked as his son hurried off, shutting the door to his room gently. Severus said Ginny would be over for something important. However, he had yet to see how taking Draco and Hermione out to dinner was important...

His eyes widened.

That devilish witch.

* * *

Severus heard a loud 'pop' from the back of the room, and he turned away from his simmering cauldron, hoping to see his wife back from her outing. However, he still smiled upon seeing Lucius Malfoy.

"What can I do for you, old friend?" Severus inquired, removing his working cloak and goggles, tossing them both on a nearby desk, "I have been seeing a lot of Malfoy these past two days."

The children were not geniuses, by any standard. Eloise was smart, yes, but she could not top Hermione Granger by any degree. Kevin was much like his father; he studied, yet he refused to show an understanding of the lesson when he was asked a question. And Shane... Well... Shane would need a lot of work.

"I watched them stew over the essays you assigned," Lucius chuckled, folding his arms across his chest, the silvery snake cane dangling, "I see you can take the man out of the professor, but never the professor out of the man."

Severus laughed, then motioned to the staircase, one that led to the first floor of the house, and out of his laboratory, "Can I offer you a drink? I'm rather alone tonight."

He wished Ginny wouldn't go out for so long, since he had grown accustomed to having someone around all the time. He missed her.

"I'm only here for a moment," Lucius chuckled, shaking his head politely, "It seems your wife is trying to set up my son and Miss Granger."

Severus groaned, "I had hoped she had let that idea die..."

"Not quite," Lucius stated, cocking an eyebrow. "Do have a talk with her... She'll be proud to tell you she's succeeding."

* * *

Narcissa glanced down at her granddaughter, who had officially fallen asleep, her magazine spread out across her stomach. She gathered up the 'book', shaking her head upon the article _Six Spells to Sharpen Your Look_, then tossed the magazine onto her bedside table. Eloise was a gorgeous girl, she didn't need such trash polluting her mind.  
Pulling the covers up snuggly around her, Narcissa smiled and lightly planted a kiss on her forehead before switching off the lights, attempting to get some sleep herself.

It didn't take too long, but just as she felt herself drifting off, Lucius pushed the door open and let out a groan, "Cissa... I haven't done anything... Why am I being sent to the couch?"

She smiled, but returned to expression to a rather sleepy one as she sat up, sending him an annoyed look, "Lucius... Can you not see your granddaughter is asleep?"

"She's on _my_ side of the bed!" he hissed, pointing down to Eloise, "How am I supposed to sleep!"

"There are countless spare rooms," Narcissa giggled, sending him a coy look, "I'll make it up to you tomorrow..."

That line always settled the deal with Lucius. Tonight, though, his eyes clouded over with hints of lust and he smirked, "Maybe I can return Eloise to her room... without waking her, and you can make it up to me _now_."

Narcissa shivered at his tone, but defiantly shook her head, "She's already asleep... I'm sure you can stand one night in the guest bedroom. Good night, darling."

She heard him grumble something under his breath, then stalk out once more.


	19. Boys are trouble

**Insert regular disclaimer here !**

We're having another one of those 'family bonding' days today. Normally, on Saturdays, we'd spend the majority of it hanging out with our friends at Hogwarts. However, because the school is _closed_ on weekends, we're forced to spend them at home.

Meh, what can you do?

"Morning, darling," Grandmother greeted as Lucius stalked into the kitchen. "Sleep well?"

He shot her a glare and settled down at the head of the table, serving himself some pancakes, "Wonderful, dearest. I forgot we got rid of the spare beds... The couch was..."

"As lumpy as ever?" Draco suggested, sending Lucius a smug look.

Kevin snorted, "You slept on the couch last night? What'd you do?"

"Not that it would normally be any of your business," Lucius snarled tightly, "but your sister seemed to think my side of the bed was more comfortable then hers, and spent the night there."

He sent me a narrowed look and began adding some strawberries to his pancakes. I laughed nervously and took a spoonful of cereal, making a mental note to stay away from him for the rest of the day.

"Eloise... I know you may want chocolate this time of the month, but go easy," Grandmother chided as I smeared some chocolate spread on a piece of toast. Shane snorted loudly and quickly turned it into a cough when Aunt Hermione shot him a glare.

"You're so immature," I grumbled.

Dad suddenly dawned a confused look, "I don't get it... You want chocolate... Why?"

"It's that time of the month," Kevin chuckled, sending me a look.

Great, just wonderful. I was hoping to disgust Lucius a little, but I was never keen on it being the breakfast topic.

"What's so special about this time of the month?" Dad asked, frowning. Aunt Hermione rolled her eyes and Lucius burried himself behind the Daily Prophet, clearly trying to block out the conversation.

Shane raised an eyebrow, "Are you just joking... Or do you seriously not understand?"

"I don't understand!" Dad answered, his voice sounding a little frantic, "Is something wrong with her!"

"Daddy," Annie chided, kneeling up on her chair and whispering into his ear.

He listened for a moment, then frowned a little more, "Having her what?"

"This was _your_ job to explain to him," Lucius grumbled, pulling the paper down just enough to see Grandmother. "I'm the man... I don't go through _that_."

"He just never seemed interested," Grandmother sighed, resting her head in her hand and sending Draco a pitying look.

Lucius groaned, "No man is interested in knowing... That should be kept a secret!"

"Oh honestly," Aunt Hermione said loudly, sending Lucius a stare. "It's a part of life. Draco... You lived with Joyce for several years... Did you ever notice her acting strangely, maybe a little more moody, near the end or beginning of a month?"

"I worked for the first and last week of the month," he stated, shrugging. "Why... What happens then?"

Annie leaned up again, whispering something in his ear for quite a while. I watched with amusement as he looked over to me, completely disgusted, "Since when has this been happening?"

"Since good ol' puberty, dad," Kevin explained. "Didn't you have girl friends in school who were... moody during certain times of the month?"

My brothers are actually okay with the whole PMS thing, since they didn't have a dad around much growing up, they understand and accept what happens. They were completely horrified at first, but mum sat them down for a very, very extensive talk about why and what needs to happen, and they've calmed down over the years.

"No... I can't say I did-"

"Pansy," Aunt Hermione coughed loudly, clearing her throat and shooting him a smirk.

He rolled his eyes, "Pans was moody all the time..."

"Well, she went through it too," Aunt Hermione stated, setting her spoon down in an empty bowl. "Trust me."

"How would you know?"

"Girls at Hogwarts go through the "talk" in fourth year," I explained. "Like you guys get in fifth."

"Oh yeah..." Draco chuckled, "Snape was so mortified he had to tell us about-"

"I think I'm done with breakfast," Lucius proclaimed, throwing his fork back down on a plate of pancakes. He rose, folded the paper under his arm, and made for the door, his face wrinkled with discontent.

"Dear... You didn't finish eating," Grandmother nagged as she poured herself some tea.

Lucius frowned, "I'm... not hungry... anymore. Call me when we leave for town."

Operation disgust Lucius - Success.

Shane and I exchanged amused smirks before continuing with our breakfast.

* * *

"I'd give her an eight..."

"Her legs are a little short though."

"Okay, maybe a seven."

"You two are pigs," I snapped, sending my brothers disgusted looks.

We had packed up and headed out to this little town that Aunt Hermione and Annie usually visit when Aunt Hermione doesn't go into the office.

Surprisingly, Dad and Aunt Hermione are actually getting along. They're walking in front of my brothers and I, each holding one of Annie's hands and talking in a civil manner.  
Lucius and Grandmother were behind us, walking arm in arm as Grandmother 'subtly' pointed out the things she wished for Lucius to buy.

My brothers were currently ranking girls from one to ten when they passed them on the street, since we've decided to take a walking tour of the downtown shops.

"We aren't disgusting," Shane fired back. "We're just keeping ourselves busy."

"It's degrading!" I snapped, swatting at his arm, "Girls don't deserve that."

"Don't get all feminist on us," Kevin droned, rolling his eyes. "We don't say anything when you ogle blokes at school."

My jaw dropped, "I do not ogle anyone at school!" I paused, "Anymore."

"Exactly... So shut up," Shane ordered, returning back to his little game with Kevin. I rolled my eyes and glanced at the shops, wishing I could buy some of the Muggle DVDs in the windows. However, Lucius won't give us Muggle money, so any hope of purchasing Muggle items is gone.

"Oi! Eloise!"

I recognized the voice instantly; Will!

Quickly, I turned in the direction of the voice, and spotted Will, clad in some warmer clothes for the nippy weather, smiling at me. Shane and Kevin also spotted their friend and waved, Kevin turning back to Lucius, "Can we go-"

"No."

"Oh, Lucius," Grandmother clucked, pinching his arm. "Meet us at the cafe in an hour."

I sent her a smile and we hurried across the street, making sure to avoid the cars that were taking their time to drive along the road.

The one thing I officially don't like about this town, is everyone is too slow, and laid back. We waited nearly twenty minutes for a vender to serve Annie some ice cream.

"Hey, Will!" Shane greeted, the pair shaking hands. Kevin moved in, not wanting to be left out amongst the elder boys, and shook hands with Will, causing my black haired friend to grin.

He turned to me, "Hi, Loo."

I reached up to hug him, but instead he leaned down to plant a kiss on my cheek.

I felt my skin burn and Kevin snorted, a definite sign I was blushing.

"Oh Merlin," Shane grumbled, rolling his eyes.

"Hi... Will," I breathed, my lips twisting into a silly smile.

He cleared his throat, "Hi."

"Look... Mate, can you please just ask her out so we can get on with today?" Shane droned, rolling his eyes.

I shot him a glare and Will laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck, "Um... Do you want to see a Muggle movie sometime? I've got a flat in town here... Just moved in... If you're interested..."

"I'd love to," I sighed, still smiling at him.

"Okay, if we're done with that rubbish," Kevin nagged, poking Will's arm. "What would you rate that girl... Seven or eight? Shane and I can't decide."

"Ugh..." I mumbled as Will smirked. He grasped my hand and the four of us started walking, Will commenting that he didn't judge girls, and the only one he did, rated a ten.

* * *

"Look at that little... brat," Draco snarled, leaning around the corner of a building and glaring. "He's _holding her hand_!"

"Oh for Merlin's sake, Draco, hurry up," Hermione ordered, rolling her eyes. "They can hold hands... Those two were always sweet on each other."

"Oh, that handsome young Will character?" Narcissa inquired as she checked some of the outdoor plants at a stand, "He's very sweet."

Lucius shot her a glare.

Sweet? That foul thing was not sweet! He... He kissed Draco's daughter! His little girl!

Draco was curious as to why Shane just stood there and allowed his sister to be touched by that ... demon, for lack of better terms.

"Daddy," Annie cooed, grabbing his hand and pulling him fully around the corner. "Stop spying, it's rude."

"I see you've been told," his father commented as Draco reluctantly joined the group, standing back with his father as his mother and Hermione looked at some flowers.

Draco rolled his eyes and let out a huff, "That boy is all over her..."

"Will fancies Loo," Annie stated, picking at her nails nonchalantly, "and Look fancies him... I bet he'll be her boyfriend by the end of today."

Draco cringed, his mind already picturing having that boy sitting across from him at the dinner table every Christmas after the marriage...

"Don't look too much into it," Lucius laughed. "Teenage romances never last."

His mother shot Lucius a look over her shoulder, "Oh really? Are you saying _we_ aren't going to last, Lucius Malfoy?"

"Not at all, dearest," Lucius covered quickly, smoothing down the front of his jacket. "I was merely trying to make Draco feel better."

Draco groaned and released a sigh, then glanced down at Annie; at least he still had one daughter who wasn't interested in boys.

"I really don't see what the big fuss is about," Hermione added as they finally moved on from the flower shop, Annie clutching her hand as she eyed a clothing shop, "Will is a nice young man, who is smart, polite, and treats her well. If it was someone like... I don't know... Who mistreated her, then you wouldn't be the only one objecting."

"Draco is just overly protective of his daughter," his mother laughed, bringing Hermione inside a jewelry shop, leaving the two men alone for a moment outside.

"Draco... Really, you must relax," Lucius laughed, patting his back. "He seems suitable... and her brothers are with her."

"She isn't your daughter," Draco moaned, stuffing his hands into his pocket. "It isn't fair... She's all grown up."

"You have Annie," Lucius chuckled, urging him towards the shop gently, "I'm sure you'll keep her from dating until she's twenty anyway."

Draco forced a weak smile.

* * *

Hermione watched as Narcissa drilled the shop keeper on the expensive jewelry behind the counter; apparently the older woman was very experienced when it came to shopping.

"Auntie," Annie called, tugging on her sleeve and pulling her across the store to a set of diamond earrings. "When I get my ears pierced, can I have it done with these?"

Hermione squinted and her jaw dropped, "Annie... These are very expensive... Maybe for your first studs you can just get silver, or something."

"I want these though," Annie whined, pointing at them. "Daddy?"

Within an instant Draco was by her side, "Yes, Pumpkin?"

"Can I get my ears pierced with these?" she inquired, pointing to the diamond studs.

Draco smiled and ran a hand over her hair, "Of course you can, Pumpkin. Tell my anything you want, and I'll buy it for you."

Hermione's eyes widened as Annie led Draco around the shop, pointing to things she wanted to have, smiling up at him sweetly. The bushy-haired witch scoffed as she watched Draco melt at his daughter's wishes.

"Pathetic, isn't it?" Lucius sighed, leaning on his cane as he too watched the sight before him.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "I think he needs to be taught how to say no."

"Women have that affect on Malfoy men," Lucius chuckled. "Young ones and grown ones."

Hermione cocked an eyebrow and he smirked, his eyes wandering back over to Narcissa, who was already ringing up a few purchases.

* * *

"So ... What are you doing here?" I asked, smiling as Will picked me a flower from someone's garden. Shane and Kevin were walking ahead, as usual, checking out a group of girls huddled around a store.

Will smiled, "I'm working on Muggle Relations, actually."

"What you wanted to do!" I squealed, laughing, "But... Since when did we have a Muggle Relations... I thought it was removed when He came into power."

"It was," Will sighed as I began braiding the flower into my hair, "but there's a group of us petitioning to get it back... Wizards still need to interact with Muggles, and not everyone quite gets how to."

I nodded, "I'm proud of you for doing it."

Maybe I can work with him, you know, have something to do with my time. Before mum passed, she was hinting she wanted us to get jobs. Other then Shane playing on the street for money, we never really worked, unless it was around the house.

"So anything in mind for our date?" he inquired, changing the subject and grabbing my hand.

I shrugged, "Anywhere you want to take me, I suppose."

"Well m'dear, there are many wonderful places within the Muggle world to see!" he exclaimed dramatically, spinning me in a circle, causing Shane and Kevin to look back with a hint of annoyance, "We can... um... See a movie! Walk through the park! And a personal favourite of mine... We can eat!"

I snorted, "Eating sounds good... How about you take me to dinner."

"A fine choice, m'lady," he droned, bringing my hand up to his lips. "However, I was thinking of combining the two... Dinner and a movie, perhaps?"

"Great," I sighed, nearly swooning when he winked at me.

"Now Will," Shane said loudly, clapping a hand on his shoulder and pulling him away from me, Kevin taking my place at his other side. "Now that you are officially going to be feeling up my sister, and she's letting you, there are a few rules."

"Shane!" I hissed, slapping his arm.

Kevin rolled his eyes, "We're doing brother stuff... Go pick another flower, or something."

My jaw dropped and I shot Will a desperate look, put he merely chuckled and folded his arm, "Right then... Let's hear the rules."

Why is he going on with this! I hate it when my brothers get too protective sometimes.

"Ok, nothing below the waist on the first date," Shane began, ticking of his fingers as he went. "No coming back to the house and 'dropping her off at her room', and last but not least, you must flaunt the fact you're dating Loo in front of Dad as much as possible."

"That's a big one," Kevin agreed, nodding his head as I rolled my eyes.

Will made a face, "Your dad already hates me... I don't really want to make it worse."

"Oh please?" Kevin begged, "It'll be so funny to watch it... He won't say anything, since he knows Loo fancies you so much, he won't want to kill it."

"Shut up, Kev!" I hissed through gritted teeth, pinching his arm as hard as I possibly could, causing him to yelp.

Will smirked and pulled me close, his arm around my waist, "Don't worry... I don't want to mess it up... I fancy you loads, too."

My cheeks coloured bright red and Shane gagged, "Oh, disgusting."

"Don't worry, mate," Will joked, patting him on the arm. "Some day you'll find a perfect girl, too. As for now... I think it's best we get you three back to the cafe to meet up with your family."

"You can come too!" Kevin blurted, "Please? Dad'll just die..."

* * *

"Where are they?" Draco demanded, looking down at his watch, then studying the streets. Hermione rolled her eyes and went to make sure Annie was settled into her seat, but she had already climbed into the chair between Lucius and Narcissa, holding up a menu that seemed much too big for her.

"Maybe they were kidnapped and you'll never see them again," Lucius mused, removing his gloves and setting them on the table. Draco began to move his chair back, a nervous look in his eyes, which caused Lucius to smirk, "Because four wizards most definitely could not handle themselves in a Muggle town."

Hermione snorted loudly, then quickly covered her mouth when Draco looked at her, "That is _not_ funny."

"Yes... Yes it is," she laughed, tucking a stray bit of hair behind her ears.

She caught Lucius grinning a little more, "See, at least _she_ has a sense of humour."

Hermione shot Lucius a smirk, then picked up her menu, blocking out the worried tones of Draco. She never thought she could actually get along with Lucius Malfoy. Of course, during the war, they completely hated each other, but she still admired what a time duelist he was, and most likely he did the same for her. However, presently, she found him a rather interesting person, to say the least. He had a library full of books, and since they were his, he knew most from cover to cover, which made him a great conversationalist.

On a completely different topic, Hermione was amazed at the amount of wizards in this town. Many were retired workers, looking for a place to relax, so they knew the Malfoys quite well. They had not seen the Snapes yet, but Hermione had a feeling they may turn up sometime or another.

"_There_ they are," Draco groaned, finally spotting his children making their way towards the cafe. "About time."

"They're four minutes late, Draco," Hermione stated, not looking up from her menu. "As I recall, you and Pansy were fifteen minutes late to every Potions class in Seventh Year."

Draco opened his mouth make a snappy remark, but words failed him and his mother shot him a glare, "Fifteen minutes, Draco?"

Hermione peeked up from her menu and noticed Draco's cheeks had turned slightly pink, "We... um... had class at the other side of the school. It took us a while to get there."

"Our Potions class was first period," Hermione retorted as the children arrived, causing Draco to send her a scowl.

"Hey! Hermione!"

"Hello, Will," she greeted, standing up to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "It's good to see you again."

"I didn't think you'd be here..." he stammered, sounding slightly shocked, "I thought you left for-"

"France?" she said quickly, trying to keep him from stating more Order members fled to Scotland, "No... I wasn't interested in the universities there."

"Right," he laughed.

Eloise spoke up, "Can Will join us?"

"Of course, darling, pull up a chair," Narcissa beamed, sending Will a smile. Lucius rolled his eyes, and Annie seemed quite happy to try and cheer him up, whispering something in his ear.

Hermione guessed Annie had taken a liking to Lucius, since she was always wanting to sit with him.

Eloise was the only person that separated Draco from Will, and Hermione could already tell she was feeling slightly awkward. Draco was leaning back in his seat, glaring down at the menu, his eyes not really moving at all. Hermione inhaled slowly and leaned closer, "Draco?"

"What?" he grunted, sending a seething look to Will as he chatted away with Kevin and Shane, Annie getting a word in every once and a while.

"Your daughter wants him to date her," she whispered. "Try and be a little more open."

"I am open," he snapped. "He's just..."

"Just what?"

"Nothing."

* * *

Shane had to keep from laughing as he watched Draco glare at Will while he gave Eloise a kiss on the cheek farewell.

"Dad..." Shane chuckled, nudging his arm, "You need to blink sometime."

"Oh, shut up," he snapped, stuffing his hands into his pockets sourly. Once everyone was set, they touched the port key, his Grandmother's purse, and went back to the manor, Annie telling Aunt Hermione excitedly about what Draco had bought her that day.

"Hey... I got a letter," Shane murmured, picking up a letter sitting on the fireplace mantel, ripping it open.

His eyes whizzed over the writing, a smile spreading across his face, "Eh, Loo... Grandma and Grandpa sent us a letter!"

"Really?" she inquired, handing her thin coat to a house elf and hurrying over, snatching the letter away, "Wow! Kev, Annie... We got a letter from-"

"Grandma and Grandpa, we heard," Kevin snapped, reading the letter over her shoulder.

"How are they?" his Aunt inquired, slowly making her way over to read the letter, "Anything about... your mother."

The funeral had been some time ago, maybe a week. They were apparently not invited, and it was just something small. When Shane was younger, death was a huge deal, but in more recent times, people got over death quickly. They had to, there was so much of it.

"Who is this?" Lucius asked, frowning.

Aunt Hermione cleared her throat, "Joyce's parents... It seems they want us to come down for a family lunch."

"Oh, how nice," his Grandmother said, her voice sounding slightly disappointed.

Shane grinned, "They want you three to come too... So they can get to know you."

"Oh, that does sound like fun!" his Grandmother cooed, rubbing Lucius's arm, "What do you think dear?"

"When is this... thing?" Lucius snapped, his lip curling slightly.

"Tomorrow," Eloise replied. "It's just a sort of... relaxed lunch thing."

Shane smirked, watching his father and grandfather exchange rather irritated look as his grandmother smiled, "I'll write them a letter back. Hermione, dear, come with me... I need you for this."

The family slowly dispersed, his siblings going upstairs, chatting excitedly about tomorrow. Shane hadn't seen his grandparents for a few months, but he loved them. They were so relaxed and laid back, and had a wonderful sense of humor. His family was quite huge, considering there were many people who were only "family" and not blood-relative. Fred and George Weasley were his "uncles", even though he only saw them a few times a year.

His smile grew as he heard Lucius complaining to Draco about, both men sounding equally annoyed at the very idea of tomorrow.

Oh, it was sure to be a good day.


	20. Famjam Love

"Loo... Loooooo... Loo? Wake up, Loo!"

I groaned and rolled over, shoving a small body off my bed. Annie landed with a squeak and I sat up, hoping she wouldn't start crying.

"We're going to grandma and grandpa's today!" she giggled, using my covers to haul herself up and jump on my bed, "We get to see everybody again!"

"I know," I grumbled, glancing at the clock, "But we leave at ten... And it's only six... Why the Hel-... Heck are you awake?"

Almost slipped there. Annie goes mental when you use a 'foul' word around her... Mind you, mum used to do it too, we just sort of ignored her after a while.

"I couldn't sleep anymore," she gushed, jumping up and down on my bed, shaking it as she giggled loudly. I rolled my eyes and stuffed my head back under my pillow.

"Looo..." she whined, "I can't sleep anymore, and I'm bored. Nobody will make me breakfast until at least seven... Can we do something!"

I flung my pillow at her, knocking her flat onto her bottom. However, she hurled it back, and our mini pillow fight began.

Annie giggled and hopped off my bed, tossing the pillow back on, "Can we go bother Shane... Or Kev?"

"I suppose it'll give us something to do," I sighed, sliding out of bed and running a hand through my hair.

Annie grinned wickedly, "What can we do?"

My mind ran for ideas. This was a classic opportunity to get my brother, one of them, back for the whole whip-cream-incident that happened a little while ago. Mind you, I should get Annie back too, since she was just sort of ... there.

Oh well, I'll get her later.

"Come on," I whispered, leading her quietly out of my room to Shane's, sending her a smirk. We gently pushed open his door and spotted him sprawled out on his bed, his mouth wide open, snoring softly, his arm flung over his head. I held a finger to my lips and leaned down to her, "Go to Kev's room, and when I tell you, rush over to him, and shout fire, okay?"

She nodded and went across the hall, pushing open Kevin's door as quietly as she could, then looked back at me. I glanced back to Shane, who was still asleep, then motioned for her to go in.

She disappeared inside and I hurried in, rushing to Shane's side and shaking his arm, "Fire! Shane, wake up! Fire!"

His eyes snapped open and he 'snoffed' loudly, quickly rolling off the bed, "What?"

"Fire! We have to get outside!" I exclaimed, pulling him towards the door.

He stumbled groggily, "Lemme find a shirt, Loo."

"No time!" I urged, nearly releasing a snort when I noticed he was in his Bart Simpson boxers, "C'mon! We need to get outside!"

Annie and I left our brothers' rooms nearly at the same time, and we pulled them downstairs, "Fire! Fire!"

It took them a moment, but they finally snapped out of their sleepy state and took off running towards the front door, flinging it open and rushing into the cold air outside.  
Annie and I shot each other looks, and I gingerly closed the front door, locking it with satisfaction.

"Want some breakfast?" I inquired, pushing the curtains aside, laughing at the sight of both my brothers outside, in their boxers, looks of realization suddenly dawning on them.

"I want eggs," Annie stated, making her way towards the kitchen contently. I watched Shane and Kevin exchange a few words, then begin to make their way towards the door, when suddenly, the sprinklers turned on.

"Morning Grandfather," I called as Lucius walked through the dining area, clearly not noticing Annie and I sitting at the table with our bowls of cereal.

I really couldn't be bothered to make her any eggs.

He jumped and stole a look at the clock, frowning, "Why are you two awake?"

I sent a pointed glare to Annie, and she smiled, "We're going to grandma and grandpa's today... I couldn't sleep anymore!"

"So that meant I wasn't _allowed_ to sleep anymore," I sighed, rolling my eyes.

He nodded, then folded his arms, "Where are your brothers? Wouldn't they be up too?"

Annie giggled and continued eating her cereal, ignoring his question.

Suddenly, a loud banging came from the windows at the other side of the dining room, and Lucius whipped back, spotting our brothers, bare from the waist up, pounding on the windows, shouting for him to let them in.

"We needed something to do," I explained, returning to my cereal. His lip curled slightly as he hurried towards the back door, leaving Annie and I laughing at the table.

"Where are they?"

My brothers burst into the room, goosebumps plaguing their skin, and ran towards us, rage quite clear on their faces.

"Oh... crap," I whimpered, shoving out of my chair and running to the other side of the table.

They'll only get me back, since Annie's too small for them to hit.

"Stupid cow!" Kevin shouted, "You go around that side, Shane, I'll go this way-"

"Don't you dare," Lucius snapped, reappearing in the room, wand in hand. "All three of you sit... I'll have breakfast served in a moment. Shane, Kevin, you will not touch your sister, understood?"

"But she-"

"_Understood_?"

"Yes, sir."

Lucius vanished into the kitchens, still scowling at us as he went. I returned to my seat, and my brothers sat across from me, putting on the sweaters I had quickly conjured them.

"I don't see why neither of _you_ get into trouble," Kevin grumbled, resting his head on his hand. "We didn't even do anything this time... You were just being cruel."

"Maybe Lucius likes us more," I chuckled, finishing off my cereal, slurping down the milk that remained in the bottom of the bowl. Shane glared, but said nothing.

"Morning you four," Aunt Hermione greeted, readjusting her housecoat as she walked into the dining room, "My, you're up early."

"Aunt Hermione," Kevin groaned, "Loo and Annie locked us outside this morning in our boxers... We've been wandering around for the past ten minutes in our underwear!"

"Eloise! Annie!" she exclaimed, folding her arms, "Fine... For that, the house elves can have a break... You two are washing the dishes this morning."

Annie groaned and shot me a glare, "It was _your_ idea..."

"Yeah, well you still did it," I hissed, glaring at Aunt Hermione as she made her way to the kitchen.

I don't mind most chores, but I just can't stand washing dishes.

* * *

Hermione rolled her eyes; locking the boys out in their boxers... What else can these kids do to torment each other?

"Oh, morning Lucius," she greeted.

He smiled tightly, "Good morning indeed. Did you hear what those girls did to their brothers?"

She grinned, "Kevin whined to me about it, yes... Have the house elves use a lot of dishes today, Eloise and Annie will be cleaning them."

"Cleaning dishes?" Lucius repeated, cocking an eyebrow, "Isn't that a little..."

"Hmm?"

"Muggle?" he spat, folding his arms, "Girls shouldn't be doing that."

Girls shouldn't be doing that? What exactly were they supposed to do? Sit on plush pillows and be waited on hand and foot? Hermione was _not_ going to see her best friend's children be spoiled, no matter what Lucius Malfoy had to say about it.

"It's called a punishment," she stated. "The girls had no reason to lock their brothers outside, and now they are being punished and will clean the dishes."

"Oh come now," Lucius drawled, rolling his eyes. "Girls can be disciplined through talking-"

"Lucius, did you actually raise Draco?"

"Excuse me?"

"If you did, you'd know talking goes in one ear, and out the other... Talking does nothing, unless it's threatening, and that will just frighten them," Hermione ranted, tightening her belt that held her housecoat up, "and I can assure you, frightening them will only cause the older ones, most likely Shane, to rebel. So... We'll go with my disciplinary tactics for today, and if they don't work, we'll test yours."

She gave him a smug look, then left the kitchen.

* * *

"All right, let's go," Dad shouted from the downstairs, "Unless you all want to stay here-"

"Coming!" I shouted, quickly running a brush through my hair and hurrying downstairs, nearly running into Kevin as he hurried out of his room.

For once, I was actually excited to see my other side of the family. We used to see everyone on weekends, on holidays, and sometimes a good horde of them would just show up at the house and expect to stay for dinner. My mum had three sisters, and two brothers, six kids total for my grandparents to deal with. All but the youngest brother, Alfred (who refuses to be called by his real name, and will only respond to Al), are married, and have one or more kids of their own. So when we all get together, we have our own little army of Jamesons.

Well, I suppose we're the Malfoys now, but you know, same effect.

"Right... How many brothers did Joyce have?" Dad mused, rubbing his temples.

Aunt Hermione grinned, "Two, and she had... How many sisters?"

"Um..."

"Oh for Merlin's sake, didn't you pay any attention to her," she snapped. "She has three, one is pregnant right now, so word of warning... Beware."

"When's Auntie Crystal having the baby anyway?" Shane asked, pulling on his shoes.

Aunt Hermione shrugged, "Oh... I don't want to ask, you remember what happened last time."

We asked my eldest aunt, Crystal, when she was due, and she literally blew up at us, asking whether she was too fat now, and why couldn't we see it for ourselves and such...

Oh yeah, family is just _super_ fun.

"So... You guys really want to come and meet everyone?" Kevin inquired, looking up at Dad and his parents, "All of them? In one sitting?"

"I'm sure it won't be that difficult, dear," Grandmother assured. "They sound like lovely people."

I was slightly worried about the Malfoys meeting _all_ of the Jamesons. They were great people, don't get me wrong, but sometimes they get drunk, and sometimes they have their... stupid moments. But I guess all families do.

"And you don't have a problem with a certain pair of Weasleys being there?" Aunt Hermione queried, speaking about my 'uncles' Fred and George.

Mum used to take us to their shop when we were little, nearly everyday, and they used to baby-sit us when mum was working late, and aunt Hermione wasn't around.

"Weasleys?" Dad snapped, "What Weasleys?"

"Sounds like he's all right, let's go then!" Grandmother pressed, holding Annie's hand as we gathered around Lucius, who was holding our portkey.

As we leaned in to touch, I swear I could have heard him and dad both muttering, "It's just a lunch... It's just a lunch... It won't be very long, it's _just_ a lunch."

Sissies.

* * *

"Grandma!" Annie shrieked almost the second the group finished arriving in the new house.

"Annie! Love, come give grandma a hug!"

Hermione stepped away from the tight knit circle and smiled; it was nice to be back.

Thankfully, the Jamesons were a family that was open enough to take in just about anyone, and they had done so for her on numerous occasions.

"Grandpa!"

Eloise hurried off and jumped on her grandfather, squeezing him hard around the middle. Hermione smiled, and she instantly heard a door open, and the sound of loud conversations flowed out from the den.

"But we don't mean to be rude, come in, nice to see you again, Narcissa, Lucius," Henrietta greeted, her graying hair pulled back into a bun, and her typical house clothes on.

"Henrietta," Narcissa beamed, moving towards the woman and planting an air kiss on each cheek, her smile quite skilled and practiced. "Thank you so much for inviting us in."

"Truth be told," Alex muttered. "We didn't think you'd be turning up."

"Well, we are family," Lucius said tightly, shaking the man's hand.

Alex returned the tight smile and turned to Draco, "And Draco..." he seemed to pause to try and find the words, "Nice to... see you."

"Same here, sir."

Draco and Joyce's marriage had been kept rather quiet. None of the other family members knew Draco had left her, and whenever they showed up at the house, Joyce would tell them he was working, or was visiting a sick relative. None of her brothers, or sisters knew that he had left. It was a shame really.

"Shane, Kevin, come give your grandma a hug," Henrietta ordered, breaking the awkward silence in the only way she knew how. The boys bustled forward, clearly annoyed they were still spoken to like children.

"And Hermione," Alex laughed, stepping past Draco and giving her a hug. "Looking gorgeous, as ever."

"Thank you," Hermione chuckled, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "So is everyone here?"

They were standing in the middle of a rather small hallway, which led to the kitchen, but split off to the dining room, the sitting room, and a bathroom, while the rest of the rooms were upstairs. How six children were raised in a house not extended by magic was beyond Hermione's reckoning.

"Shh, Shane's here!"

The group turned back to a gaggle of girls who were peering around from the top of the stairs, some giggling loudly.

Shane drew his coat over his head, then made wings out of his sleeves, "Blah HA! My leetle veectoms are heere alreeeady! Bwahahahaha!"

He leapt up the stairs, causing the girls to scream, then vanish into the upper level of the house. Annie hurried up after him, "Wait for meee Shane!"

"What...?" Draco pointed up the stairs, looking slightly confused.

Eloise rolled her eyes, "Our cousins had this whole theory Shane was a vampire for a little while... He's had a lot of fun messing with them for the past couple of years."

"Yeah," Kevin chuckled as both children began heading up the wooden staircase. "None of them stop to notice the sun's out!"

Lucius shot his wife a wide eyed look and Alex snorted, "Most of them are just wee little ones... Yours are the oldest here. But come in, come in..."

"Yes," Henrietta prattled, taking everyone's coats and hanging them in the closet. "Time you meet everyone, I suppose."

Hermione gave Draco a little nudge forward, as she noticed he was backing away, and glared at him when he sent her a scowl.

"Get in there," she hissed, pointing to the doorway, which in no doubt led to the rest of the family. She allowed Lucius and Narcissa to go ahead of her, and she rolled her eyes as she watched Lucius check for other exits.

"Right you lot," Alex boomed. "Shut up for a minute..."

Hermione inwardly smiled at the shocked looks exchanged between the Malfoys, "I want you all to meet Joyce's... ex-husband, now I suppose, Draco Malfoy, and his parents, Lucius and Narcissa."

The whole room instantly erupted with people rising from their seats and making their way over, shaking hands with Lucius and Draco, while giving Narcissa air kisses on the cheek.

"Aww, lookit Malfoy, Fred," George greeted, ruffling Draco's hair. "He's all grown up-"

"And not dropping by the shop-"

"Pity really-"

"How're the kids?"

"And look! Hermione's here!"

They pushed through the Malfoys and swept Hermione up in a rather tight, double hug. She gasped for hair and her eyes bulged slightly, "Good to..." she winced, "see you too, boys."

"So where're the kids?" Fred inquired, stepping away and letting her breath.

George grinned, "Not hiding on us, eh?"

"Not this time," Hermione laughed, remembering the one Christmas where the children finally scared the stuffing out of Fred and George by attacking them from behind various furniture in the house.

"Send the kids down," Al barked as Fred and George disappeared out into the hall. "Haven't seen 'em in such a long time... And you two, doll, c'mere."

As the Malfoys were offered seats on the couches, Hermione went through the entire process of greeting all the 'relatives'.

There was Crystal and her husband Timothy, Brenda and her husband Bill, Gloria and her husband Jon, Max and his wife Gwen and Al, who had really not changed at all since she had last seen them. The Malfoys fit in well with the group, since most were blonde, blue eyed, only a few with brown or black hair.

Hermione was an outsider, until Fred and George turned up, adding even more diversity to the hair colours of the room.

She glanced around for somewhere to sit, only to notice all the furniture in the room had been taken up by the rest of the family, so she pushed Draco's arm off the armrest and sat up there, much to his irritation.

"Gee, Hermione, can I offer you my lap?" he inquired, rolling his eyes as the room's little conversations started up again.

She snorted, "Oh, don't tempt me, Draco."

* * *

"Here are the brats," Fred announced, stepping aside and Draco watched his children hurry in, running to different people around the room, hugging and greeting happily.  
His hands turned into fists; his children were _not_ brats. How dare that... Weasley filth even mention it?

"Auntie Crystal!"

"Shane... Merlin's Beard you've gotten tall."

"Come here, precious... Let me have a look at you!"

"How have you been managing?"

Managing? What was that supposed to mean?

Hermione gently touched his arm and leaned closer, "Draco... You're glaring... Not the best way to get them to like you."

"Oh shut up," he grumbled. "We're sitting right here, and they act like-"

"They can act however they want to act," she scolded, "These are their nieces and nephews... They've missed them."

"Yeah... Well..." he trailed off, watching his children hug their aunts and uncles, talking rather feverishly with them.

His parents seemed quite entertained, well, his mother did anyway. She was chatting away with Joyce's mother, Henrietta, most likely about the children.

What else did Grandmothers have to discuss?

His father sneered at the group sitting around him and had his hands folded neatly on his lap, apparently as discontent to be in the small, crowded house as Draco was.

Max and Al, the second oldest and the youngest in the family pulled their chairs over to him and Max rolled his eyes, "Bloody women cooing over 'em like their babies... Dunno how they stand it."

"They are welcoming them home," Hermione growled, crossing her arms. "Men are all the same... None of you see any sort of sentimental value of seeing kids again."

Al raised his eyebrow, "You've said that speech sometime before... And what's the value? I used to have dinner at their house every week!"

Draco suddenly felt a twinge of jealousy and he forced a smile. Al frowned, "Funny thing that you were always working when I stopped by, Malfoy."

His eyes widened and he chuckled nervously, "Yeah... Well... Work kept me pretty busy."

"Does it still keep you busy?"

"Well, I'm the head of my department," he boasted, his pride returning. "So I can come and go whenever I please."

"Good," Max muttered. "We'd hate to think you just leave your kids with your parents while you work all day."

Draco noticed a certain gleam in Max's eye, and he didn't like it.

He only had the pleasure of meeting Joyce's entire family once, after they were married, when they went over for Christmas dinner. It was nearly sixteen years ago, but her brothers were still as protective as ever. Their attention, it seemed, had moved from their sister to her children, which could be a problem, if Draco did not know how to handle it.

"Shane, Eloise and Kevin are in school anyway," Hermione said loudly, breaking the tension. "It's not like they'd want to hang around their father all day... And Annie always finds someone to talk to, I can assure you."

Draco sent her a thankful look and she gave him a quick smile. Max's eyebrows knitted together, "They are in school? Hogwarts? With... Him as the headmaster?"

The conversations settled in the room and all eyes turned to Draco. He shifted nervously in his seat and Henrietta cleared her throat, "Maybe us... women can start with lunch, what say? Narcissa, would you like to help? Children... Can you check on your cousins, please? Merlin knows what they've broken."

Draco watched sadly as his children scuffled out, Eloise and Kevin whispering something heatedly and glancing back to him. The women also rose, and Hermione slipped off the couch, quickly muttering, "Don't say anything stupid!" and following the sea of blondes as they made their departure. The husbands decided things should be kept between family, and sheepishly left, some muttering about checking up on the kids.

Lucius and Draco shot each other looks as Alex shut the door to the sitting room, pulling up a grubby chair and taking a seat.

"Was all that really necessary?" Lucius droned, raising an eyebrow, "I'm sure this conversation won't get so carried away that everyone needed to leave."

"Speaking of _leaving_," Max hissed. "We know that you left Joyce when she was alive... We know that you left her alone with four children."

"In all fairness, she wasn't exactly happy with me," Draco interjected, inching away from Max and Al, who were glaring. "I do remember getting yelled at for most of the time I was home, and I thought it would be best if I just left. The children did not need to grow up with two bickering adults."

"So they grew up with one lonely one?" Al boomed, standing up so quickly his chair toppled over. Draco also moved to his feet, both men snarling at each other.

* * *

Alex cleared his throat forcefully and sent his son a pointed look. Al pulled his chair back up and sat, still seething at Draco.

"We don't trust you, Malfoy," Alex explained. Lucius snorted, "_That_ much is clear."

Alex inhaled slowly, resisting the urge to leap up and hex the Death Eater sitting across from him. Only Merlin knew how he held his composure, "And we never trusted you with Joyce... But you have four children who need a real father, and if you can prove to us that's what you are, we'll keep ourselves controlled around you."

"Controlled?" Draco repeated, picking at his fingers, "What do you mean by that?"

"We mean..." Max droned, grinning evilly, "While there still may only be three men in this house, the women are more deadly, and we all loved Joyce. One wrong step, and you're done, Malfoy."

"Come, come," Lucius laughed. "That sounds like a threat... Draco and I happen to be very high ranking officials with the new... government. Wouldn't want anyone to search this house and find none of you favour our new leader."

Alex shuddered at the thought of what could happen to his family. While it wasn't a crime to hate Voldemort, it was if you showed that hate in public, or to an official. It would most likely land you years in Azkaban, or some nasty torturing.

"Father doesn't mean that," Draco said forcefully, shooting his father a glare before turning to face the three men, "Please... You need to understand I love my children. While they may not like me much now... I'm sure they will, in time. I'm doing the best I can. Joyce just left them at the house one evening... I had no idea what to do! My marriage with her was horrible, which was why I left... I _am_ doing my best with them. I've hired a private tutor so they aren't at Hogwarts all week... I try to get them what they ask for. Their education has not been hindered since moving in with us."

"Eloise is in Gryffindor," Alex stated. "How is that?"

"She hasn't complained," Lucius said, cutting Draco off. "Only with the workload... But that can be expected in her sixth year."

"And having... Him as headmaster," Max spat, wrinkling his nose. "Can you promise nothing will happen to her?"

"If she behaves and treats her elders with respect, then I don't see a problem," Lucius said tightly.

Both Lucius and Alex were from an older generation, in which children would not mouth off to their parents, unless they wanted a painful punishment. He secretly hoped Lucius would not try that sort of method on his eldest grandchildren. The man _would_ suffer if he hurt them.

"You have my word that they are fine," Draco repeated, looking between Al and Max, then to himself. "Please... I wouldn't let an harm fall on them."

"Your word doesn't mean much, at the moment," Al sniped. "So we'll have to wait and see if we can trust you."

A lengthy silence settled over the men, until Alex finally stood up and smiled, "Well... Now that that's out of the way, would anyone like something to drink?"

"Anything strong, please," Draco muttered, releasing a sigh.

* * *

Hermione hinted softly to Henrietta that Narcissa wasn't much of a cook, so she took the woman to the side and had her cut vegetables for the salad. Something simple would be suitable.

"I hope dad doesn't go mental on him," Crystal snickered, retrieving the bread from the pantry and setting it in some baskets.

Narcissa's head shot up, "I beg your pardon?"

Hermione winced, "Well... They're talking about Draco and Joyce's relationship at the moment-"

"I'm not thick, Hermione," Narcissa said briskly, using a little more force to chop the carrots. "What do you mean... mental?"

"She doesn't mean anything by it," Henrietta smoothed after receiving Hermione's desperate look. "It's just... The boys were very upset when they heard about the situation with their sister."

"We were too," Gloria snapped as she washed up some tomatoes. "It was horrible that she had to raise four children alone."

"Oh, come on Gloria," Hermione cracked, raising her eyebrows. "She was never alone. She had me, she had her family... She had a lot of friends coming in to help her. Their marriage was in shambles anyway."

Hermione remembered when Draco _was_ at home, Joyce would yell at him over something small, and a huge fight would erupt, usually sending Draco out of the house for the rest of the night.

Who would want to raise kids around that?

"I don't think anyone has a right to judge either of them," Brenda blurted, pushing her wavy blonde hair back. "No one knew what was happening in that home, so _no one_ should make judgments. Not even daddy."

"Well put, love," Henrietta beamed, "and no one is going to talk about it in front of the children... Understood?"

"Yes, mum," the women droned, continuing with a few small conversations as they prepared lunch.

"What an interesting group," Narcissa murmured as Hermione poured the salad dressing into the container.

She grinned, "They're works of art, all of them."

Each sister had their own trait that made them unique from the next.

Joyce was the oldest, the pretty one. While all the Jameson daughters had beauty, Joyce was the one who used to get the most attention at parties, and from the boys in school. Crystal was extremely sarcastic, and her dry wit was something that most people enjoyed, once they got used to her. Hermione found it difficult sometimes to tell whether she was joking, or speaking with the uttermost serious tone. Brenda was never one for looks. Only when she graduated from Hogwarts did she even bother to start doing something with her hair. She was always the calm one out of her sisters, and Hermione could relate to her intelligence on all levels. Gloria, the youngest, was always hot tempered, and would usually try and keep the attention on herself. While Hermione never commented on it, she found it extremely irritating.

"Thank you," Narcissa whispered once Hermione had taken a step closer.

She frowned, "For what?"

All she had done was hand Narcissa the salad tongs... Surely all genuine thanks was not for that?

"For defending Draco," she muttered, scooping up the chopped vegetables and tossing them into the salad. "He... He needs someone to stick up for him here."

Hermione shrugged and sent her a smile, "I know."

* * *

"Hey!" I heard aunt Gloria shout, "Lunch! Table! Now!"

I quickly turned off the TV and ushered my group of giggling cousins downstairs.

I now officially know why I love having Annie.

And _only_ Annie.

I'd die if I had all of these little twits.

It's not that I don't like my cousins, it's just, they are all young, and well... All girls, who laugh hysterically at anything Shane says. It makes me sick.

"Hey dad," I greeted, taking a seat at the massive table (most likely enlarged by magic) and filling my glass with some juice. "How's it going?"

"I'm alive, aren't I?" he grumbled, tucking his chair in and shooting Crystal a smile as she sat down next to him.

I snorted, "That bad?"

"I'm trying my best, Eloise," he grumbled. "These people already hate me."

"Probably because you left mum," I suggested, grabbing two slices of bread and smearing some mayo on them., "That and you work for ... Voldemort."

"Thanks," he hissed, "I feel loads better."

Fred and Geroge bounced into the room, a little girl cousin of mine on each of their shoulders. Fred grinned and flipped her over, "Looks like we're just in time..."

"We _were_ getting hungry," George agreed, the pair setting the girls down at two seats. I noticed Lucius's lip curl as his eyes fell on them, and he busied himself with making a sandwich.

"Daddy?"

Both Dad and I looked across the table to Annie, who pouted.

"Can you make me a sandwich?"

Uncle Max and Al's heads suddenly whipped toward Dad and his eyes widened, "Sure... Pumpkin, pass me your plate."

Oh Merlin, I know what they're doing to him...

Uncle Max and Al did this to Fred and George when they first started coming to look after us. It was the whole 'Do you know how to look after our darling nieces and nephews?' phase, and it was extremely annoying.

Dad reached for the plate of sliced tomatoes and I coughed, causing him to pull away, "Right, no tomatoes."

To my surprise, he actually managed to make her sandwich right, cutting off the crust and leaving it on the side and everything. Aunt Hermione sent him an approving smile as he passed it back across the table to my sister. Uncle Max raised an eyebrow in Dad's direction, then went back to eating, and Uncle Al soon fell into the multiple conversations occurring at the long table. I patted Dad's arm, "Nicely done."

"Thanks."

"So, Eloise?" Uncle Max called after some time, "How is school going?"

I heard Dad groan beside me and Lucius rolled his eyes. For some reason, I had a feeling most of the questions I am going to get asked today will somehow have to do with us living at the Malfoy Manor.

I smiled, "Great... They've got me in a few advanced classes, and I'm..."

My mind went blank as I searched for something to say, and I finally just blurted, "I'm making a load of new friends... And I get the entire Gryffindor Common Room to myself whenever I want it."

There were a few supporting murmurs from the rest of the family and Uncle Al nodded, "And this tutor?"

"Uncle Severus tutors them," Annie piped.

The moment she said it, both Fred and George began choking on their sandwiches, causing the entire table's attention to be brought to them as they coughed loudly and chugged back their drinks. Aunt Hermione slapped her forehead and groaned.

"Uncle Severus?" Fred gasped, smirking, "As in... Severus Snape?"

"He's really nice!" Annie protested before Dad could say anything.

George grinned, "I'm sure he is... He a hard teacher?"

"No," I lied, trying to stick up for him the best I could.

Fred snorted, "Don't lie... We all had him in school... Have you gotten the fourteen page essay yet?"

Shane's eyes widened, "No..."

"Oh, it gets so much worse from here on."

Why does everyone keep saying that?

"Regardless of his methods of teaching," Lucius said loudly. "He gets the job done... I'm sure you all walked out of his classroom smarter then when you went in."

"I'm sure _that_ wasn't all that difficult," Dad muttered, his fists clenched on the table. "Severus Snape is an excellent teacher... He does the job. You need a tough teacher every once and a while."

Little does Dad know _all_ of my teachers are tough. But I felt bad that the family was picking on him, so for the rest of the lunch, I did my best to defend him. Once Shane and Kevin understood what was happening, and what I was doing, they also jumped to help out Dad whenever he seemed a little over his head. I wouldn't have thought Shane would ever really defend Dad, but then again, he always surprises me.


	21. Famjam Love 2

"Love... Put on some tea, would you?"

"Right... Where's the kettle then?"

"Where you last _put _it..."

"Alright, alright, no need for that tone, I'll find it."

Shane and I glanced at each other, smirks tugging at our lips. It was always interesting, well, more funny then anything, to listen to our grandma and grandpa talk to each other. Grandma was forgetful, to say the least, and though grandpa would never admit it, he was just as bad. The two of them would always have a go at each other, and most of the family had learned to tune it out with time.

"It's on the stove, mum," Aunt Brenda sighed after we watched grandma bustle around the kitchen for a few minutes, muttering things under her breath heatedly. Lucius raised an eyebrow at me and I rolled my eyes, helping myself to a few bits of cake that were left in the middle of the table.

The Malfoys were clearly shocked at the vast amount of food kept at our table during a meal time. Of course, they had a ton of food every time they ate, but there were never anymore then eight of us eating at once. I do believe there are at least thirty people at this luncheon, and most of them have massive appetites. The Malfoys are also much more refined when they dine. Instead of filling up their plate to the maximum potential, they have a few courses with very little, though I don't think they've ever eaten as much as Uncle Al.

Dunno where he got such an appetite actually... Maybe he hasn't eaten in a while.

Annie and our smaller cousins had already scuttled off somewhere, playing with their dolls in the numerous rooms upstairs. I used to love playing here. There are actually hidden rooms in this place!

Mind you, when Shane stuffed me inside one once and left me alone, the mystery and wonder was sort of gone. The rest of us have been sitting through the world's most boring lunch. Even with the Death Eaters we actually got a word or two in. Here, however, all we are allowed to do is sit, listen and eat as our aunts and uncles talk about work, babies and the family. Grandmother was overly enthusiastic about the whole conversation, and I noticed most of the family warming up to her pretty quickly.

Lucius and grandpa were talking, I suppose, about anything that popped into their heads. Neither of them wanted to talk about politics, since they knew they were each on the opposite side of things, and it would only spark up a debate.

I felt pretty bad for Dad. He was stuck between me and Auntie Crystal, who was constantly reaching over him to get the weirdest combinations of snacks from the trays scattered along the table. Then, from time to time, Uncle Max would throw in a jab or a pun at him and the rest of the family would laugh, causing Aunt Hermione to scold him quietly from her seat. After some time, however, it must have gotten boring to pick on Dad, since there were so many other people there for Uncle Max to take a shot at, including Kevin and Shane.

"Well... Maybe we'll be able to drop all the kids off at the Malfoy Manor sometime," Uncle Max commented loudly. "Get the kids used to you all..."

I watched Dad grind his teeth together as Grandmother looked oddly cheerful, "Oh, that would actually be wonderful!"

"Cissa..."

"Hush Lucius."

"Mother-"

"Hey, are the horses still here?" I asked loudly, ending the discussion between the three Malfoys.

Grandma smiled, "Of course, love... They're never really leaving the barn."

"Aunt Hermione... Wanna show Dad and Grandfather with me?" I asked pointedly.

She frowned, then suddenly nodded, "Oh... Oh, sure... They're so lovely."

"Sounds fun," Lucius muttered darkly, rising with Aunt Hermione and Dad as I ushered the group of adults out of the room, swiping their light-weight coats out of the closet and handing it to each of them.

"We figured you could use a break from my family," I stated, zipping up my sweater and leading them outside. "They're a lot to take all at once."

"How do you get through a day without blasting them into little tiny... insignificant specks of dust?" Dad snarled, his hands curling up into fists. We all paused and glanced back at him.

Aunt Hermione rolled her eyes, "You've been fantasizing about doing that... Haven't you?"

He stuffed his hands into his pockets and glared, "No."

I snorted loudly and Lucius rolled his eyes, causing Dad's cheeks to tinge lightly. The door to the house suddenly slammed behind us, and we looked back towards the source of the noise. Instantly, I spotted Annie rushing out, her arms flailing as they tried to get into her coat sleeves properly.

"Grandma said you were going to see the horses!" she exclaimed, sliding to an abrupt halt at my feet, sending some loose dirt onto my shoes.

"Would you like to join us, Annie?" Aunt Hermione inquired, releasing a soft sigh when Annie squealed. My sister grinned, then grabbed Lucius's hand, and dragged him off toward the large stables. A small gust of wind barreled across the small property, and I pulled my sweater tighter around my body.

Poor Lucius. Getting pulled off anywhere with my sister is murder, but it's Hell around horses.

Annie loves animals, which explains the large amounts of time she spends watching the ducks in our pond and with Bo.

"I think I'm going to go help Grandfather," I sighed, smirking as Annie literally pulled him into the stables. Dad nodded and I rushed off, ready to rescue him, if necessary.

* * *

"Your father pretends to not enjoy spending time with the children, but look at him," Hermione giggled, pointing to Lucius and the two girls. "He's wrapped around both of their fingers."

"Malfoy men do _not_ get wrapped around anyone's fingers," Draco snapped, rolling his eyes and burying his hands deeper into his pockets.

Hermione cocked an eyebrow, "You're wrapped around Annie's finger... Don't lie. You'd do anything she asked."

"I would not!" he argued, somewhat less forceful then he wanted to be.

Hermione released a soft chuckle and motioned for him to keep walking toward the stable, "So... What do you think of the family?"

Draco shot her a look, "Do you have to ask that?"

"I'm serious!" she laughed, hitting his arm, "They aren't that bad."

"They drilled my kids in order to find fault in me!" he groaned, kicking a stone along the path.

Hermione wanted to pat his arm, for some reason, but she held back, "They're initiating you into the family. They would have done it one time or another."

She remembered when they tormented Fred and George, since Joyce's brothers were sure they were having an affair with their sister. However, once they found out both Weasleys were married, happily, they stopped bothering the pair.

"They don't like me."

Hermione was surprised at the tone of his voice. He sounded like a little boy who had come home from his first day of school friendless.

She gave him a gentle smile and snuck her arm around his, "Draco... It takes a long time for so many people to warm up to you. No one really likes anyone at first."

"That's true..." he mumbled, "I never liked you when we first met each other."

She swallowed thickly and looked up at him, "And now?"

"I guess you're all right," he chuckled, nudging her with his elbow. "For a girl."

"For a girl?" she laughed, hitting him again, "I suppose you aren't bad, for a boy."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Hermione chuckled and finally stopped walking, untangling her arm from his and climbing up onto the wooden fence they had been following.

"Maybe we should let your father have some time alone with his granddaughters," she suggested, her feet dangling in the breeze. "I'm sure he'd like it."

Draco leaned against the fence beside her, folding his hands neatly in front of him, "He really wants to be a grandfather... One that they like."

"I think they like him," Hermione stated, "but, they are just afraid to show it. They don't want to attach themselves to someone new, because they'll think they are losing someone old."

She stared off across the property, taking in the few small trees and dingy looking home. When she glanced at Draco, she noticed he was staring. She raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"You're just so deep," he joked. "How come you're so smart, Granger?"

She rolled her eyes, "It's not a matter of being smart, it's a matter of understanding people, something that you aren't very good at."

"I resent that."

"Don't," she said truthfully. "You were in a small family, like me... Do you have a lot of outside family?"

Hermione's parents each had a few siblings, which meant there was a good handful of cousins and new people brought into the family whenever there was a wedding.  
Hermione spent a great deal of the family get-togethers studying her relatives. Soon, she could tell how they were feeling by their facial expressions and hand gestures, even by the tone of their voice.

"No... My family is small," he informed her, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "Yours?"

"Big," she summarized, smiling, "but now you have a massive family."

"How?"

"With the Jamesons," she laughed. "They're _your_ family now, whether you like it or not."

"More like whether they like it or not, they're stuck with me," Draco muttered, rolling his eyes.

* * *

"Grandfather, lift me up," Annie ordered. "I want to pet the horse."

"Lift me up, _please_," Lucius repeated as he hoisted her up, "Don't you forget your manners."

He glanced at Eloise, who was grinning as she ran her slim hand down a black horse's nose, causing the animal to let out a snort. Annie leaned in, the very tips of her fingers touching the horse, causing her to giggle.

"Is there anything in our barn?" Eloise asked, grabbing a carrot from the feed and holding it under the horse's mouth. Lucius frowned, trying to remember whether or not they had _ever_ had animals in the barn.

"I don't recall us having animals," Lucius replied. "Your grandmother couldn't stand having them on her manor growing up, so she was rather insistent we keep from getting any."

"Grandmother doesn't like animals?" Annie repeated, her jaw dropping a little, "But... But she loves walking to see the ducks!"

"I think anything you ask of her, she'll love to do with you," Lucius chuckled.

Knowing his wife, anything and everything her grandchildren would ask she would do, and say she enjoyed it. He almost felt guilty she had never had the chance to interact with Draco's children before, but it wasn't his fault, so his guilt was short-lived.

"Can we get horses, Grandfather?" Annie asked sweetly, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Please?"

"Grandmother doesn't like them," Eloise stressed, shooting her sister a look. "Didn't you hear?"

"You have that... dog," Lucius stated, setting her down and holding her hand as they continued to walk through the long, narrow stable. "Isn't he enough?"

"But I can't ride Bo!" Annie whined, shaking his arm.

He looked down at her sharply, "Whining will never get you anything, Annie."

"Works with Dad," Eloise snorted as she followed closely behind him, "but Dad's weak still against Annie."

"Apparently," Lucius sighed, remembering all the things Draco had recently purchased for Annie, including some rather expensive jewelry Annie thought she could wear when she went swimming.

"You're not any better though," Eloise continued when Annie tore off toward a pony in a small pen.

Lucius stopped and turned back to her, "I beg your pardon?"

"You'd have said yes if I wasn't standing here," she concluded, a smug grin on her face. "Don't worry, it happens to most men... Annie is just too cute to say no to, unless you're me, Kevin or Shane, who know her all too well."

His jaw hung open as she walked off, a confident strut in her step. He hated it.

Damn girl was right though.


	22. Detention Tension

"No, no, no, NO!" I muttered heatedly under my breath, whizzing down a flight of stairs to my Dark Arts class. I am officially late, once again, and it's only because stupid ANNIE wouldn't get out of the BATHROOM.

Let's all note that she was in _my_ bathroom, testing all of _my_ lip glosses!

Stupid brat... I had half a mind to slaughter her if I didn't realize I was late for school. So, I am not wearing much make up today, besides mascara, and for some reason, it's killing me.

"Well gosh, Muffin, you're late again!" Mr. D prattled as I hurried into the room, "Care to explain? Or should I just chalk it up to incompetence?"

"I'm not incompetent," I snapped, dumping my book bag onto the desk.

Mr. D stuffed his hands into his black cloak pocket, "Well, clearly you are sweet cheeks, incompetent to read a clock, since... Well, golly, you're just never here on time!"

There was no way I was going to explain why I was late, not to a class of boys. I bit my tongue and slumped down into my seat, only causing Mr. D to laugh a little more than he had been.

"I didn't say you could sit, angel cake," he snarled, a smile still on his face.

I rolled my eyes, "What, do I get to stand for the entire lesson? Ooooh."

"You can go see the headmaster, actually Princess," he stated, pulling out a piece of chalk and returning to the board, "Now, as I was saying-"

"But I wasn't even that late!" I argued, my tone almost sounding pleading, as much as I hated it, "Please! I'll be on time tomorrow! I promise!"

"Shirley, you've got ten seconds to leave this classroom before I drag you out," he informed me, his hand gliding across the board with lecture notes. "One... Two. Three-"

"I'm going," I growled, grasping my bag and slowly making my way out of the room, slamming the door as hard as I could.

I can't believe this! I've seen sent to see Voldemort nearly six times in the past two weeks, all by that fucking Mr. D. One of these days, when he isn't looking... I swear...

I released a sigh, knowing there was nothing I could but be on time for his class. Timidly, I knocked my fist against the headmaster's door, cringing when I heard a snarl from inside for me to come in.

"Well, here's a surprise," Voldemort droned as I stepped in, shutting the door behind me. "Ms. Malfoy, I'm beginning to think you just like coming to see me every day."

"Well, it... it hasn't been everyday," I stammered, picking at my nails. "It's just Mr. D-"

"Tells me you are constantly late for his class," he hissed, knitting his fingers together from behind his desk and leaning on them. "Whatever are we going to do about that?"

"I could just... promise to be on time?" I suggested, smiling weakly.

He snorted and rose from his seat, his hands now folded behind his back, "You know... I think I'm going to give you detention."

Oooh writing lines. Sounds like fun.

"After school today, you will report to the dungeons, where you will hang by your wrists for one hour," he stated, grabbing a book of his shelf, then returning to his desk.

My jaw dropped, "What?"

"I did not stutter," he remarked, opening his book and flipping through a few pages. "Since you cannot get yourself to class on time, you will report for detention, in which you will hang by your wrists in the dungeons. Do I make myself clear?"

"That's barbaric!" I exploded, "I'm not doing that!"

"I promise you will suffer worse if you do not report for detention," he said calmly. "Now leave."

"But-"

"Go!"

* * *

"Hermione, can you find me the residential file for the Petersons?" Draco called, leaning to the side on his chair to see out of his office, "I need to double check something."

"Sure, no problem."

Draco was shocked to find he and Hermione were working well together. He remembered being paired up with her for a potions class once. It was a painful day he tried to forget after she cursed him into being covered with boils from head to toe. And all because he made a crack at her teeth, which were looking much better then before, now that he thought about it.

"Here," she said briskly, sweeping into his office with the musty yellow folder in hand. "Listen, it's nearly lunch... Want to go get something to eat?"

"I usually skip lunch," he replied, pulling out the specific document he needed and checking for the signature. "You go though."

"Skipping meals isn't healthy," she countered, snatching the file away and closing it up, then setting it on the top of the cabinet. "Come on... You can treat me to the salad bar."

"That stuff is horrible," he grumbled, rolling his eyes. "Give that back... I need to double check some things."

"Stop working and come eat," she ordered, walking around his desk, grasping his arm, then literally dragging him to his feet.

Since when had she been strong? He stumbled forward and she ushered him out of his office, smiling at Lynn, "Do you want some lunch?"

"I'm fine, love," she piped, pulling out her own little lunch box and opening it, revealing a hefty sandwich. "My grandchildren were in a cooking mood last night and made me this..."

"Looks a little... Uh... Dangerous," Draco commented, stopping to lean a little closer and look at the massive sandwich. "Is that a plastic piece of ham?"

Lynn snorted and pulled it out, "Kids... What can you do?"

Hermione giggled, causing Draco to look up. He liked that giggle. He'd never really heard her laugh like that, but for some reason, it suited her.

"Well, if that doesn't ... taste right, we'll grab you a plate of something at the cantine," Hermione announced. "Come on, Draco."

Lynn waved them off, and Draco glanced back, watching her cautiously pick apart her sandwich.

"Would your parents eat something Annie made them?" Hermione laughed as they entered the cubical section of Draco's floor, Draco casually smiling at a few of his co-workers and friends when he passed.

With a shrug, he grinned, "Mother would... And I think she would enjoy it too. Father... Well... I think he'd make me eat a bit first, and if I died, he'd tell Annie he enjoyed it."

She giggled again and he frowned, wondering when she had started to 'giggle'. It was ... nice.

"Are you even listening to me, Draco?" she snapped, stopping in front of him and raising her eyes to meet his. He cleared his throat, "I-uh... I was thinking about that file..."

"You think too much about work, Mr. Malfoy," she sniped, rolling her eyes. He gave a weak chuckle, glad he hadn't blurted out something stupid, like, "I was just thinking about your giggle. Very nice."

Still lost in his own thoughts, he almost tripped over Hermione when she and another person collided, the other person spilling his glass of water all over her white shirt. She let out a startled gasp and stepped back into him, her arms instantly crossing over her now see through shirt.

Don't stare.

Don't stare.

She's mortified! Don't stare!

You're STARING!

"Watch where you're going, Damien!" Draco snapped, his eyes slowly drifting down to the parts Hermione hadn't covered. Why wear a red bra under a white shirt? It's just not smart...

"Stop staring, Malfoy!" Hermione snarled, somewhat more fiercely then he had and stormed off, stepping inside the ladies room. Draco looked around his awkwardly, realizing most of the men in his department were leering at the ladies room door, or smirking at him.

He felt his hands close into fists as he barked, "Back to work! I'm not paying you to gawk!"

* * *

"Hang by your wrists?" Shane repeated in disbelief as his sister explained her punishment over lunch, "But... But that's..."

"Barbaric?" she suggested, raising an eyebrow, "Yeah... That's what I told him. Then I got yelled at... So I bolted out of there."

"You know what I think," Karl, a tall, gangly brunette friend of Shane and Eloise, commented, piling some lettuce onto his sandwich, "I bet he's just trying to creep you out... You know, I bet when you go down there, he'll make you clean trophies by hand or something."

Shane hoped that would be all his sister was doing. She deserved detention, since she had been late for D's class nearly every day for the entire school year, but hanging by the wrists just seemed a little... severe, to say the least.

"You know," Darius Zabini chuckled, inching a little closer to Eloise on the bench. "I could talk to the Dark Lord... He and my Dad are pretty close with things... Maybe I could get him to give you another chance."

Eloise looked at him skeptically and cocked an eyebrow, "What would I owe you?"

Darius grinned suggestively and she hit his arm, rose, then stalked off to sit with Tracy over at the empty Ravenclaw table.

"Why do you have to be a fucking jerk every time she's around?" Karl asked, glaring, "It's getting old, and boring."

"And it's my sister," Shane remarked. He stood up, reached across the table, and slammed his fist into Zabini's arm, "So stop looking at her!"

"I wasn't looking!" Darius argued, rubbing his arm where both Shane and Eloise had hit, "I was just... being ... nice."

"Uh huh," Shane grumbled. "Just stay away from her, Zabini, or you are gonna have to deal with me."

Darius shot him a glare, then continued with his lunch as more people joined the trio, muttering something darkly under his breath.

* * *

"Hermione... Granger! Please, I didn't mean to!"

"You just stood there and stared at me," Hermione exclaimed, strolling forcefully across the tile floor of the Malfoy foyer. "Just like all the rest!"

"Well... I didn't mean to!" he argued, hurrying after her, "I just... glanced down."

Glanced down? From what Hermione noticed, he was leering, just like all the rest were. She hadn't _meant_ to wear a red bra and white shirt, but her white bras were in the wash, and of course, on the day she wears a dark bra, her shirt becomes see through. It was horrible! The rest of the day was spent hiding behind folders, and Lynn. When Draco tried to talk to her, Lynn gave him a firm talking to and kicked him back into his office.

"You didn't glance!" Hermione hissed, turning around sharply and poking him in the chest, "You were staring and I caught you! The only reason you're saying you were "glancing" is because I caught you!"

"Don't be stupid!" he snarled, "You were just... Sort of... There! Everyone looked!"

"Oh, so if everyone looked then it must be fine!"

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Kevin sauntering out of the kitchen, but he took one look between her and Draco, then swiftly scampered back in.

"There's no excuse for not even bothering to help me!" Hermione continued, glaring at him, "You should have dried me off with a quick charm... Not just stand there and stare like some idiot!"

"For the last time, I wasn't staring!" he growled, glaring back with matching intensity, "You were in front of me, and it happened so fast I didn't have time to think!"

"Oh come off it, Malfoy," she snarled. "Next time... Help me!"

"I-"

The fireplace exploded loudly, and Eloise stumbled out, tears rolling down her face as she clutched her wrists.

"Eloise!" Hermione cried, completely forgetting her argument with Draco. The only thing that mattered at the moment was her sobbing niece. Draco beat her to Eloise, and he hastily pulled her hands away from her locked wrists, Hermione's eyes widening when she saw large, red rings.

"What happened?" he demanded roughly, calling for the house elf. When the dumpy figure appeared, he ordered her to fetch some bandages.

"I... I was late for class," Eloise sobbed, sniffling loudly as she pulled her hands close to her body. "He... He sent me for detention, and I was supposed to hang by... by..."

"Oh... Merlin," Hermione gasped, her hand covering her mouth. "Eloise... Eloise you shouldn't have gone!"

"He'd do worse if she hadn't," Draco muttered softly, snatching the bandages away from the attending house elf and dressing her right hand.

Hermione took some of the large material and began dressing her left, shaking her head, "He had no right to do that... We're supposed to be an advanced race... This is barbaric."

Eloise let out a whimper as she tightened the bandage, but Draco cleared his throat, "What he decides to punish is up to him... We don't have any right to contradict it."

"Excuse me?" Hermione hissed angrily, turning slowly to face him, "Are you actually defending him? Draco, look at what he has done to your daughter!"

"He's done worse to other people!" Draco fired back loudly, "Bloody Hell, Granger... This is a light punishment! It may hurt, but, Gods, I've had worse done to me!"

Hermione wanted to drop her jaw, to slap him... She wanted to hurt him! How could he just say something like that in front of Eloise? With all the restraint she had, she grasped Eloise by the shoulder and steered her upstairs and into her bedroom, slamming the door.


	23. So close, and yet

Hermione remained completely silent during breakfast, ignoring Draco when he offered her a piece of toast. There was just no way she was going to speak to him, not after what had happened. Eloise was traumatized by the whole ordeal, and ended up having a nightmare last night, which landed her sleeping on Hermione's couch at around three in the morning. Thankfully, she didn't have to go into work today, so she wouldn't be forced to talk to Draco until she was ready.

However, with the children gone to school, and Narcissa tending to Annie with her bath, it did make things seem much more awkward at the table. Lucius was buried behind his newspaper, and Hermione was glaring rather vilely at her plate of half-eaten pancakes, wishing Draco would just leave already.

Finally, her wish was granted, and he pushed out from the table, then stalked out of the room, snarling testily at a house elf when they bumped into each other.

"That was such a lively breakfast," Lucius droned, finally folding his paper in half and setting it on the table. "Do tell, Ms. Granger... What has my son done this time?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "You _saw_ what happened to Eloise... Voldemort had no right to do that-"

"Oh, so Draco defended our new leader and Lord?" Lucius asked, slightly amused, "I wonder why on Earth he would do that?"

"Be sarcastic all you want," Hermione snapped, pushing her chair back and standing up, "but I think it was wrong! Draco had no right to tell his fifteen year old daughter to toughen up when she's standing in front of him sobbing."

And with that, she strode forcefully out of the room, her shoes making a great deal of noise against the tile floor. No one here was going to listen to her. Narcissa would somehow politely defend her son, and Hermione just didn't have it in her to yell at the older woman.

So, she decided to see the one person who would understand her; Ginny.

She wasn't entirely sure where the Snape Manor was, so she was forced to use the Floo network and travel through the fire place. Upon arrival, she stumbled out and into a solid body, nearly tripping.

"Ah, Ms. Granger," Severus Snape sighed, helping her regain her footing. "So I was wrong... You do get everywhere."

"Ha ha," she laughed dryly, dusting her arms off. "I'm looking for Ginny... We need to talk."

"Sounds invigorating," he droned, beckoning her to follow him upstairs. "She just finished her shower."

The house was the same as she had last seen it, large, somewhat empty, and dark, even though it was daylight. Snape led her up a rather large staircase, then into a deep, red room. He paused, leaning on the doorway, "Ginny?"

"Hmm?"

"Ms. Granger here to see you."

"Oh! Great! Send her in!"

"You can call me Hermione once in a blue moon," Hermione muttered as Snape opened the door for her. "It won't kill you."

"Au contraire" he whispered under his breath as she shot him a glare, then smiled when her eyes landed on Ginny. The two embrace and exchanged greetings, then Ginny invited her into one of her sitting rooms, ordering some tea and snacks before her full attention was turned to her.

"So, what is it?"

Hermione opened her mouth to respond, then her eyes slowly drifted over to Snape and she raised an eyebrow. Ginny turned back to him and smiled, "You mind?"

He scoffed, "This is my house!"

"I know, but it's a girl sort of chat that you would find dull," Ginny reasoned, relaxing against the couch and grinning. "I promise to tell you everything later anyway."

Hermione and Ginny locked eyes almost too quickly for anyone to see, and Hermione instantly knew her secrets were safe. Snape held his gaze with his wife, then swept out of the room, grumbling something under his breath.

"He kind of thinks along the lines of King of the Castle," she sighed, shaking her head. "His castle, so that makes him king... Quite funny, really."

Hermione giggled and she waited until Snape's footsteps finally stopped echoing off the walls of the hallway. She cleared her throat and leaned forward, "Ginny... No one is listening to me at the Malfoy's, and I thought... I thought you'd understand."

"Oh bugger..." Ginny grumbled. "This is some sort of real life problem, isn't it?"

"What else would it be?"

"I had hoped you were coming to talk to me about Draco."

"In a manner I am."

"Not in the way I'm hoping for... I doubt."

Hermione looked Ginny over, frowning. What was she hoping for? For Hermione to come over and express her undying love for that... that... Malfoy? No, not like that was going to _ever_ happen.

"Eloise received a detention yesterday," Hermione explained as Ginny nodded. "However... It wasn't some feeble thing in which she wrote lines or scrubbed pots... She was hung by her wrists for nearly an hour!"

Ginny's eyes widened, and Hermione waited for her to say something. However, the younger, redheaded witch seemed to be waiting for something herself. Something more?

There couldn't _be_ anymore!

"And then... _then_... When she comes home, Draco tells her it could have been worse," Hermione finally blurted, watching Ginny release a sigh. "You know, I was hoping for something a little... more from you."

"Get used to our world, Hermione," Ginny chuckled, pulling a pillow off the couch and hugging it. "Bad things happen to good people way too often, but there isn't anything we, you and I, can do about it. Yes, I'm Snape's wife... That doesn't mean I hold _power_ power. I can get people to do things for me, but nothing majorly important."

"And this fits into my story... How?"

"I know you want to fix things," Ginny stated, leaning forward slightly, "because that's what you do... But... Hermione, Draco has every right to tell his daughter what to do, no matter how... stupid it may seem to you."

"But-"

"And," Ginny continued forcefully, "you also need to know Draco went through more horrible things like that when we were a little younger... Once, he forgot to erase someone's memory, a Muggle who spotted them running away, and the Dark Lord strung him up by one wrist in the dungeons. His wrist kept breaking, and they would just repair it and hang him back up."

So he did understand what Eloise was going through...

He still could have handled it better!

"Ginny, I need to talk it through with him, it seems," she mumbled, rising to her feet and sending her friend a smile. "Thanks."

"Oh, and send my husband back," Ginny called as Hermione let herself out, making her way toward the fireplace.

* * *

"Lucius?" Severus called, sticking his head into his friend's study after a quick apparition. "You need to keep a leash on that damn girl."

"Which one?" Lucius mused, raising his eyebrow, "I know have four of them living in my house... All having different tantrums at different points of the day."

Snape snorted and took a seat on a leather chair beside Lucius's desk, setting his feet up, "Well, that Granger has just kicked me out of my own house."

"That one isn't family," Lucius remarked, finishing up his letter and sticking it in an envelope. "So I have no control over that one."

Snape released a lengthy sigh and folded his hands neatly on his lap, "Well... She's there to complain about something. She was in quite a foul little mood when she flew out of my fireplace."

Lucius proceded to explain that his granddaughter had come home from a detention the previous day, which involved her hanging by the wrists, and Hermione flew off the handle when Draco offered her no words of comfort.

Snape waited for more, but nothing else came, and he released a snigger, "That's all? That's why she was upset?"

"Women," Lucius muttered, rolling his eyes. "What can you do?"

"Did I just hear that correctly?" Narcissa's shrill voice piercing the conversation as she stepped into the room. "Did you just have a go at women?"

"Well... You're not women," Lucius finally managed to blurt out, causing Snape to rest his head against his hand, hiding his smirk.

"Oh, oh I'm not?" Narcissa snapped, crossing her arms and strolling casually into the room. "What am I then, Lucius Malfoy?"

"Oh, first and last name," Snape chuckled. "You're in deep again, Lucius."

"Shut up," Lucius hissed, clearing his throat. "You're _my_ woman... Much more special then the rest of ... them."

Snape shook his head and grinned, "Well done."

"Don't recall asking you to comment," Lucius muttered through gritted teeth. Ah, it was just like their school days...

"That was pathetic," Narcissa sniped, raising her nose in the air. "When you're ready to apologize, I'll be waiting."

"Cissa..."

Someone cleared her throat at the door, and the three looked back to discover Hermione, looking somewhat calmed down. Her eyes landed on Severus, "Your wife requests your presence."

"I've been called," he snickered, grasping Narcissa's hand as he rose and kissing it. "Goodbye, Mrs. Malfoy... Please... Don't make him sleep on the couch again... I still haven't heard the end of it."

Narcissa grinned evilly, "Oh really?"

* * *

There was a new girl at Hogwarts. Well... Two new girls. Sisters. One was his age, in his year...

Shane had not been able to take his eyes off her ever since Professor Crouch brought her into the Great Hall. She was introduced to the school, and sorted into Slytherin, much to many of the teacher's content. Her name was Sawyer Grey, and she had only recently transferred from a private boarding school in the northern regions of Scotland to attend Hogwarts. He loved her accent. It was so deep and just... Scottish. His mind couldn't even think properly! She was shorter then him, maybe Eloise's height, her eyes a pale blue as she sat down at the Slytherin table near him. Her hair was black, accompanied by large ringlets that rolled down her back. From the way she walked, he could see she was a Quidditch player, though she must not have gotten out enough, since she was rather pale.

The second girl was her smaller sister, also in Slytherin. At eleven years of age, she looked rather meek and thin. Her hair was short, black, and layered around her face. Less make up on the younger one, Tera Grey, then her sister Sawyer, but he could see the resemblance. The two girls sat together, whispering, until everyone was dismissed and they were given their schedules, each heading off in different directions. There were so many older students at Hogwarts, that Shane had completely forgotten any of the years under fifth. However, when he took the time to look, there were quite a few of them.

Loud snots.

She, Sawyer, was in his first period Potions class with him, and he timed it to arrive last, taking the available seat next to her. She smiled and began unpacking her bag, setting her books out neatly.

"I'm Shane," he greeted. "Shane... Shane Malfoy."

"Sawyer Grey as you... know," she replied, holding out her hand. "Nice to meet you Shane Shane Malfoy."

Well that went _smooth_.

Sean Avery swiveled around in his seat, smiling flirtatiously at her, "I'm Sean... So how's it feel being the only girl in Slytherin."

Sawyer pursed her lips together, "I'm not. My sister does happen to also be in this house."

"Oh... right."

Wow. Two guys shot down in a matter of minutes. She was good.

The professor swept into the room, putting their assignment on the board, then settling down at his desk, grading something or another.

"The cupboard is back there," Shane stammered as she lit her cauldron. "You know... If you're looking for the... ingredients."

"I figured that out," she stated, coming up quickly from her crouching position and pushing some hair out of her face. "Thanks though."

She walked off to the back of the room, causing most of the boys to trip over themselves to try and help her with something. Shane expected they were getting bored with bothering Loo and Tracy, and were finally happy to have someone else to tell their stupid jokes to. Shane took a quick glance at the list once more, then headed back to the cupboard, gathering up what he needed as Sawyer began making hers.

She was so... efficient.

Shane dumped his pile onto his table and scratched the back of his head, "So I um..."

"Look," she sighed, setting her knife down forcefully and dumping a pile of chopped lizard spleen into her pot, "I know you're happy to find another girl to hit on, since I've seen the slim amount at this school... But I'm trying to concentrate."

"Oh... Right... Sorry," he prattled, "I just..."

She had already turned her back to him, stirring her pot in the proper counterclockwise motion.

Had he been able to see her face, he would have noticed the faint tinge of red on her cheeks, and the small grin on her lips.

* * *

"Oh little Miss Ginny Snape?" she heard Severus call as he walked through the hallway, "I believe you and I have some gossiping to do."

Ginny shut her book, a feral smile on her face, then hide at the side of the door, waiting. He swept into the room, not paying her any attention; apparently he had not seen her.

She giggled softly and he turned around, his eyes narrowing at her, "You weren't thinking of running off on me, where you?"

"Maybe," she whispered, her voice low, almost in a purr. "Depends what you want."

He raised an eyebrow, "I merely wanted to hear what all the fuss was about."

"I'm sure Lucius already told you," she flipped casually, turning to leave.

Snape reached forward, however, beating her to the door and blocking her way, "Maybe he did... Maybe he didn't."

It was one of their little games. Their dark games that Ginny preferred to play when no one else was going to walk in. He was just so much older then her... If other people knew, it would make things awkward. But when it was just to two of them... Nothing mattered.

"So tell me," he said softly, walking her back into the room. "What did that little Granger come all the way over here to tell you?"

He wanted to be in charge; Ginny had played long enough to know. But then again... So had he.

"We talked," she stated simply, shrugging her shoulders, the backs of her legs hitting a chair. "Nothing too special."

"Oh?" he cooed, dipping his head down and nibbling on her ear, his breath tickling her, "Is that all?"

Ginny grinned and slid her hands up his chest, then suddenly took a proper grip and flipped him around, pushing him down into the chair. He let her do it, and she knew. She wasn't strong enough to force him into anything, but he let her do it anyway. Ginny climbed on, wrapping her legs tightly around his lap and pressing her lips against his, granting him instant access to her mouth.

She always thought it would be weird kissing him. Their first kiss was forced in front of Voldemort, which was nothing compared to the passion they shared now. Now, it was always in the heat of the moment, but those moments lasted hours at times. His hands were so lazy today, and remained resting on her arse until she finally moved them up her body, whimpering when he pulled away.

"First tell me what you talked about," he ordered, his lips pressing firmly against anything they could.

Ginny rolled her eyes, "We talked about what a pain you are."

He snorted against her skin and gave her a soft bite, causing her to release a squeak and hit his arm, "None of that!"

He grinned, his hands slithering around her back and his thumbs massaging as they moved. Ginny sighed happily and leaned against him, her forehead pressed up to her, "We talked about Eloise and Draco and her whole detention issue."

"Yes, Lucius mentioned it..."

She hit his shoulder and climbed off, crossing her arms, "I _knew_ you knew!"

"Why would I tell the truth?" he inquired, rising swiftly and catching her in his arms, "I'm not some Gryffindor, you know."

She smirked, giving him a quick peck, "You dastardly Slytherin..."

Releasing another squeal, she wrapped her arms around his neck as he hoisted her up, suggesting they further discuss the days events in the bedroom.

* * *

FINALLY!

I have a girl Slytherin to sit with in class! And in Herbology, when Darius is most pervy!

I had talked to the new girl, Sawyer, for a few minutes before class started. She seemed a little stand-offish, but I chalked it up to first-day-jitters.

Once Crouch had given us our assignment, I turned to her, "So... How's the first day been?"

She set her quill down and chewed on her lip, "Everyone keeps... flirting with me."

I chuckled, "Oh... I know that feeling so well."

She grinned and began turning her textbook to the proper page, copying out her notes, "The only guy so far who hasn't come straight out with some lame attempt to help me is that Zabini fellow."

Well, when he has an obsession with me... I suppose it makes it hard for him to interact with other girls.

"I say go for him," I encouraged, scribbling my notes across the page. "Maybe you'll like him."

"I'd rather focus on school work," she sighed, tucking her hair behind her ears, "Just this morning, in Potions, this... Shane kept trying to talk to me... It was... kind of distracting."

Whoa. I don't want to hear about my brother's flirty periods...

I've seen too much with Shane and his previous girlfriend. Things didn't go well for them in the end. Not at all...

"Shane's my brother," I stated before she could prattle on any further, "and I have a smaller brother named Kevin... Just... Anything about them that goes on, don't tell me."

"Right."

I stared at her, waiting for there to be some more conversation, but she seemed to just want to... work.

Frowning, I returned to my textbook, and upon finding a word I didn't understand, I brought it up to Crouch for him to explain.

"It means to determine how ripe the seeds of the plant are," he informed me, somewhat quickly. "So the new girl... What's she like?"

I cocked an eyebrow, "Didn't you... bring her here?"

"She didn't talk to me," he grumbled, sounding almost like a five year old, "and it would be inappropriate for a teacher to ask personal stuff about a student."

"And _this_ conversation right now... This is perfectly fine?" I asked cautiously, grinning.

I quite like Crouch. He seems a little odd, with a lot of quirks, but he's, so far, the nicest teacher here, and offered me a scrub to make the marks on my wrists vanish. He shot me a look and I sighed, "She doesn't like talking during her work."

"Excellent, a model student," he sighed, resting his head on his hands. "It's been so long since I've seen one..."

"And what am I?" I snapped, wondering if he had forgotten I had skipped a year in nearly all of my classes.

He shrugged, "You aren't new."

Ugh.

I can already see this girl is going to get a lot of attention...

Joy.

* * *

"Draco?" Hermione called softly, tapping on the door to his room, "Could we talk a minute?"

He glanced up from the book he had been reading on his bed, then shut it, knowing that she probably wouldn't leave, if had asked her to or not.

He didn't understand what the huge deal was! Eloise could stand to toughen up if she was going to live as a Malfoy!

"Sure... Come in," he replied, motioning to his bed. "Have a seat, if you like."

She nodded and sat close to him at the head of his bed, "I want to apologize for how I acted."

Thank you. He knew he was right.

He raised his eyebrows, silently telling her to continue. She sighed, "I shouldn't have gotten so cross with you without knowing much about you."

Draco cringed; he knew that tone. His mother used it with him after the war in an attempt to get him to open up and talk about his 'feelings'. Complete rubbish.

"Listen, Hermione," he began. "You don't-"

"I'm not finished," she snapped, her eyes flashing dangerously. "You treated poor Eloise like dirt yesterday, and I want to know why."

"Hermione," he groaned, sitting up more and sliding into a sitting position, his feet hanging over the edge of the bed, "I told the truth! I don't see what was so wrong with it!"

"She was in tears, and that was not the way to handle the situation," Hermione said firmly, biting her lip. "Didn't you feel bad for her?"

He had. He felt horrible for her. Just because she was late for class didn't earn her such a punishment. But what was he supposed to do? Curse the Dark Lord?  
Pfht. And suffer from his father later on? _That_ was not going to happen.

"I've... I've suffered under the Dark Lord, too," he stated, staring at a spot on the floor, "and a lot of my friends have... It's just... nothing new to me, and I didn't think when Eloise was hurt it was something to be shocked about. I don't know how many bones I've had to get mended after not doing something properly, or forgetting to this and that."

He paused, then let out a frustrated sigh, "I just... I don't know what to do when He handles my children. I mean... Am I supposed to tell him to go easy? Father never did that with me! And... Am I supposed to watch while they cry? I ... I don't know what to do in that area. I don't know what to do with a lot of things!"

Before he knew it, Hermione had gently rested her hand on his, her thumb rubbing his knuckles soothingly, "I'm sorry, Draco... I need to be more patient with you, I suppose."

He glanced down to her hand on his, then back to her face, then down to the hands. Did... Did she know she was touching him?

Or was she just being polite? Helpful?

He shifted nervously, "I need all the help I can get... Mother only seems to want to deal with Annie when it comes to things. She thinks I should be able to handle teenagers."

"Probably because you were a teenager not too long ago," she suggested, her hand still resting on his, "or she thinks they'll warm up to you more."

He threaded one finger between two of hers, waiting to see her reaction. She didn't pull away. This was good...

"I'd like it if you told me stuff like this more often," he chuckled. "Makes me feel better at being a failure as a father."

"You aren't a failure!" she said quickly, inching a little closer, "You... You... You aren't a failure, yet. Close, but not yet."

He looked up at her and grinned, his eyes suddenly drifting down to her lips. She must have noticed, since she licked her lips slowly and cleared her throat, "I... I just wanted to... apologize..."

He leaned his head in a little closer, making eye contact with her briefly, "Forgiven. And me?"

"Forgiven," she repeated, her voice sounding slightly breathless.

He was so close to her... Maybe an inch or so apart...

Hermione turned her head away, reclaiming back her hand and rising, "So... Care to... get something to eat? We've missed lunch... Know any good restaurants?"


	24. Kissing is wasted on the young

Oh, I can't wait to see his stupid face when I make it to class on time.

I left at a normal rate, however, I now have an effective way to get into the Dark Arts classroom BEFORE he slams the door in my face.

My skateboard!

Grinning, I tested out the roll-ability on the cobblestone floor. It would be difficult, but I'd just need to go fast.

Right... Clear hallway. Two minutes to class. Let's do this!

I hopped on, having slight difficulties to move with my school shoes on, but I managed to propel myself down the hall and swerve around the corner, nearly crashing off. I bit my lip, concentrating, then, just as I noticed Mr. D making his way toward the door, I sped up my kicking.

"I'm here!" I exclaimed as he set his hand on the door. I flew into the room and rammed into my usual desk at the back, a silly smirk on my face.

I wasn't late!

Huzzah, I'm on time!

Shane rolled his eyes and turned back to the front of the room, whispering something to his friend. I smiled, rather proud of myself, then settled down onto my chair, folding my hands neatly and waiting.

"You know Muggle devices are against the rules at Hogwarts," Mr. D droned. "I may as well keep this door open... Considering the Dark Lord will be seeing you again."

"I checked the rule book," I stated, still facing the front, "It says nothing about Muggle devices, other then Frisbees, and Fanged Frisbees. Nothing specific about skateboards."

I glanced back and watched him grind his teeth together, then slam the door, "Well done, Muffin... I'm glad to see you can read."

Woo... Big insult. He just got owned.

* * *

Shane stood beside his sister, watching as she had a small conversation with Sawyer. Both girls were waiting for their younger siblings to arrive in the Great Hall before going home. He shifted awkwardly, his hands in his pockets, then froze when Sawyer made eye contact with him.

"Didn't see you there," she chuckled, shooting him a small smile. "Hi."

"Hi..." he replied, scratching the back of his head nervously. "Um... How... How was your second day?"

"Fine, I guess."

Wonderful. Now what was he supposed to say? Did she want him to keep talking? Bugger off... What does she want?

He didn't have Potions today, which seemed to be his only class with her, other then sitting near her in the Great Hall at meals.

She was just so... different.

"So," Eloise said loudly, breaking the silence, "Sawyer... That's an interesting name. Family name?"

"I have no clue, actually," she replied, shrugging her shoulders. Shane liked the way her hair moved around her face when she did that... It looked ... pretty.

"Ah..." Eloise managed to get out, stepping on Shane's foot to get him to talk, "Is today any better for you?"

"I spent a long time in the library," she admitted, "and I quite like the book selection... Where else can I find books?"

"A... book store?" Shane suggested, suddenly feeling stupid when both girls turned to him with a 'Well, that was obvious.' sort of look on their faces. Eloise rolled her eyes and smiled at Sawyer, "There's a book store in Hogsemeade, and there's a few larger ones in Diagon Alley."

"Cheers," Sawyer laughed, her eyes twinkling wonderfully. "Oh... There's Tera. I'll see you two tomorrow... Shane, still my Potions mate?"

Whoa... Whoa, since when were they Potion mates? He didn't mind or anything... But...

He smiled broadly as his chest swelled, "Of course... See you tomorrow."

Her cheeks nearly tinged as she waved her sister over, then pulled her off to one of the numerous fireplaces, stepping inside, then vanishing in the flair of green fire.

"That was pathetic," Eloise stated as soon as she was gone. "You're like a lovesick puppy, as cliche as it is to say."

"Shut up," he grumbled, spotting Kevin as he walked in with his friends. "Kev! Let's go!"

Shane's deep, loud voice carried over the hall and his brother heard instantly, saying a quick goodbye to his two friends, then scuttling over, his bag stuffed with books.

Ahh, fourth year... Shane remembered it as a massive flurry of books and homework. His brother was slightly better with his schooling, but only slightly. It was Eloise who had the brains.

It was actually a little annoying that his younger sister was so much smarter then he was.

"You missed Shane drooling over Sawyer," Eloise informed their brother when he got close enough. "It was sad."

"Sad like you and Will whenever you guys used to see each other," Shane snarled, shooting her a glare. "C'mon... I have homework to do."

"Speaking of Will..." Eloise said excitedly as they marched across the hall to the nearest fireplace."My date's tonight!"

Kevin rolled his eyes and grasped some Floo powder out of the large cup anchored in the stone, "Dad's gonna kill him... You know that, right?"

"Dad doesn't need to know," Eloise replied, her eyes narrowing at the pair, "and he won't find out until I leave... Clear?"

"Whatever," Shane chuckled. "C'mon Kev, get in."

There was a general announcement that all families had to share a Floo home, since the school was taking too long to empty with everyone going one at a time.

"Oh Ms. Malfoy," came a raspy voice that chilled Shane to his very bones, "A moment before you depart."

Eloise slowly turned back, and Shane heard her gulp nervously. He sighed, then turned to defend his sister, standing protectively over her shoulder as the Dark Lord made his way toward the trio.

"I was told you used a Muggle device to get to class today," he hissed, his hands neatly folded behind his back.

Eloise shrugged, "There was nothing against it in the school rule book."

"What'd you use?" Kevin asked, his forehead creased in a frown as he cut off Voldemort from replying.

Eloise glanced at him, "Used the skateboard to get to D's class."

Kevin snorted loudly, then quickly turned it into a cough when Voldemort looked at him sharply.

"Something tickling my throat," he muttered. "Dust."

"Be that as it may, Ms. Malfoy," Voldemort said firmly, pointedly ignoring Kevin, "I will not have my students running wild in the halls."

Shane knew his sister wanted to point out she was _skating_, not running, but to save her another detention, he elbowed he sharply to keep her silent. That sarcastic mouth of hers was going to get her killed one day.

"Uh... Yes, sir," she managed to get out as she smiled weakly, "but... Just pointing out, it got me to class on time."

The three Malfoy children nearly flew into the fireplace when he snapped for them to get going, a stupid grin on Eloise's face. They stumbled out of the fireplace almost as swiftly as they got in, trying to keep their contact with each other to a minimum. He felt bad for families with five kids at Hogwarts; he could only imagine how difficult it would be to get into a fireplace.

"So what do you think of that new girl, Sawyer?" Kevin asked as they pulled off their shoes and began stuffing them into the shoe rack. "I mean, seriously?"

"I think she's a little stuck up," Eloise replied, her face portraying her brutal honestly.

Shane glared, "Maybe she's _shy_."

"Maybe she's stuck up!"

"You-"

"I think she's hot," Kevin said loudly, breaking up the argument, "but no sixth year'd go for a wee fourth year... So I guess she's just stuck with you, big brother."

He would never admit it, but he loved having Kevin around. He always mellowed out arguments.

"Ugh," Eloise groaned, rolling her eyes and leaving the pair, the door to her room slamming loudly upstairs.

Kevin snorted softly and shook his head, "PMSing bitch lately, isn't she?"

Shane grinned and patted his shoulder, "We've missed that stage... Remember two weeks ago? She nearly throttled you when you stole her chocolate."

"Ah yes... The joy of a sister," Kevin murmured sarcastically as the pair slowly made their way upstairs. "But anyway... You and Sawyer... You like her?"

"Dude-"

"C'mon... I just want to hear the truth," Kevin pressed as they both stood at their doors, which were directly across from each other. "If you do like her... Do you want to go through that again? Do you want to go through what happened with Amy?"

Shane felt his heart sting at the very sound of her name, and he ignored his brother, stepping into his room and quickly locking himself inside, lost in his thoughts.

* * *

"Hermione?" Draco called, hurrying down the staircase to catch up with her on their way to dinner, "Uh... Can I ask you something?"

He couldn't believe he was going to do this, especially with Hermione _Granger_, but he just needed to know.

She smiled and stopped on the last step, waiting for him, "Sure... What's on your mind?"

"It's about yesterday, actually," he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "We nearly-"

"Don't look too far into it."

Don't look too far into it? He was two seconds away from snogging her, her of all people! How could he not look into it?

"But, Hermione-"

"Draco," she said firmly, her eyes looking at him sadly. "You're my friend's ex-husband... Don't look too much into it."

He was tempted to remind her Joyce was dead, and it was official, but he held his tongue, his eyes searching her face, "But..."

"I know what you're thinking," she murmured, running a hand through her hair, "but I don't think it would be a good idea."

Like Hell it wouldn't be a good idea. No one tells a _Malfoy_ something he wants is not a good idea.

He smirked. Oh she'd see, sooner or later, that it was a good idea.

Wait... This is still Granger he was talking about... Still the same person... Who just... grew up a bit.

A lot.

When he finally tuned out of his musings, she was gone, her shadow retreating into the dining hall. He cleared his head, erased his smirk, then hurried in after her, taking a seat between her and Kevin, across from Eloise and Annie, who were already eating.

"It isn't polite to start eating before everyone is at the table," his mother corrected, causing the girls to set their forks down, Annie rolling her eyes and bouncing impatiently until Shane finally scrambled in, followed by his father, who walked at a more leisurely pace. However, when Narcissa's hard gaze turned onto Lucius, he quickened his step slightly and slid into his chair, "All right, all right, no need to wait... Eat."

Eloise rolled her eyes and continued with her plate of food, which only caused Draco to snort softly, and in turn it earned him looks from both his mother and Hermione.

"So Severus tells me there's a new girl at school?" Lucius mused as he poured some gravy over his mashed potatoes.

Kevin nodded, hastily swallowing his food, "Two. Sisters."

"Thank you for that vivid picture you've painted," Lucius droned, causing Kevin to look back down at his plate in defeat.

Eloise cleared her throat, "One's in first year, Tera, and the second's in _Shane's_ year... Sawyer."

Shane's eyes flickered up and Draco watched his daughter shoot him a gloating smile, then return smugly to her chicken.

Apparently Shane likes her?

Draco noticed his mother's eyes light up, much to same effect when he admitted fancying Pansy Parkinson in third year. He shot her a look to just leave the boy be.

"Yeah, well when is Will coming to pick you up tonight, _Eloise_?" Shane fired back, his voice oozing with sugared venom. Eloise's eyes widened and she glared at him.

Will? Why does he not like that name...

Oh bloody Hell! He's that stupid boy who follows her around!

"What?" Draco snapped, his attention suddenly turning solely on Eloise, "Will. Picking you up? What?"

"Loo's got a date with her boooyfriend," Annie giggled, stuffing a forkful of peas in her mouth.

Draco set his utensils down, "Why... Why? Why do you have a boyfriend?"

"Because I'm a girl, dad," she replied, her eyes narrowing, "and girls have boyfriends."

"Don't be smart with me," he snarled. "Why is Will coming over here?"

Merlin, of all places... Now the sod would be coming round for dinners and everything!

"Draco-"

"Mother, please," he cut her off, earning him an annoyed look from his father. "Why didn't you tell me about this? Since when have you... You know?"

"Been dating?" she suggested, "It's the first night he's taking me out, and we're going to watch a movie... Okay?"

"No! No, this is not okay!" he growled, rolling his eyes, "I don't want _him_ seeing _you_! You have lessons tomorrow!"

"Yeah, at eleven with Uncle Severus!" she argued back, "It's not like I have to get up early!"

"I want you home by nine then," he spat.

"Nine? The movie starts at eight!"

"Well, looks like you're going to have to miss some of it, doesn't it."

"No, because I'll be home by eleven, my usual curfew."

"Since when have we had curfews?"

"Since I became a teenager, _dad_."

"Well in this house it's nine!"

"Well I'm not coming home!"

"Then I guess I'll be coming to find you!"

Eloise pushed away from the table forcefully and stood up, then stormed off toward the door. Draco glared, "Eh! Where do you think you're going? We aren't finished!"

"I'm not hungry!" she shouted. He heard her stomp all the way the staircase, and the house echoed loudly at the sound of her slamming the door.

Draco threw his napkin onto the table and rose, but Hermione grabbed his arm swiftly and dragged him back down, shaking her head, "Unless you want to be hexed, I'd leave it."

"But-"

"Draco, hush and eat your dinner," his mother snapped sharply, which shut him up, and caused Lucius to rethink anything he was about to say.

* * *

I gave myself a quick squirt of perfume, then hurried downstairs at the sound of Bo barking up a storm, my signal that Will had arrived. I flew out of my room, down the stairs, and slid to a stop in front of the door, opening it quickly, "Will... Hi."

"Hey," he greeted, handing me a rose. "Saw it and thought of you."

"Aw," I cooed, accepting it and bringing it to my nose to smell. "Thanks... It looks... nice."

He chuckled, "It's okay... I know it's not the best thing to get on a date."

"No!" I laughed, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek, "No, I really like it! Just let me put it in water and we can go."

I jumped when a house elf appeared beside me, and she took the rose gently out of my hand, "Kille will look after little Mistress's gift... Little Mistress go out now."

"Oh..." I muttered, slightly shocked that the creature took such an interest in me, "Cheers then."

"Come, Little Mistress," Will snorted when the house elf tottered off to the kitchen. "The movie starts in twenty minutes."

"Great."

I did a double check to make sure dad was nowhere in the area, and waiting to charge out and kill Will. When I remembered Aunt Hermione had forced him to show her some restricted books in the upper libraries, I breathed a sigh of relief, then stepped outside.

"I've done double apparation a few times," he admitted nervously, "but if you don't feel comfortable, I have a portkey."

"No, no it's fine," I gushed, amazed that he was that understanding. "As long as my arms don't stay behind, I'm fine."

He grinned and circled one arm around my shoulders, the other around my waist, then pulled me in close, whispering, "Shut your eyes."

"Why?" I whispered back, smirking. H

e groaned, "If you want to get dizzy and stumble around for a bit when we get there, by all means, keep them open-"

"Okay, okay, okay, they're closed."

I inhaled silently, making sure to smell his cologne. God, it was good. Spicy and rich, the perfect blend.

Suddenly, it felt like my body was being squished into an unbelievably small space, and I let out a gasp, only starting to panic when I couldn't breathe again.

My eyes flew open, and I inhaled loudly, realizing we were in some alley next to the movie theatre. He looked down at me and grinned, "See... That wasn't too bad, was it?"

I snorted and stepped away from him, running a hand through my hair, "I thought I was dying for a second there!"

"Well... You're going to have fun learning how to do this," he noted, shooting me a cheeky grin before grasping my hand and pulling me out of the alley and onto a well lit street, then toward the cinema.

"I thought we could see Pirates of the Caribbean six?" he suggested, pointing to the poster.

I shook my head and sighed, "Disney needs to stop making sequels to their movies... It's just killing them."

"So yes? No?"

"Oh! Yeah... I was just commenting in general."

He pulled out his wallet from his pants pocket, then hurried up to the ticket counter and slid out a Muggle note. I frowned, realizing I had zero Muggle dollars to pay for anything, and instantly felt bad.

"I can pay you back later," I muttered sheepishly, accepting the ticket. "I'm low on funds, currently."

"It's my treat," he insisted, giving me a charming smile, then linking his fingers with mine as he led me inside.

Someone seems to want to lead this date, which is fine by me. I don't make a habit of going to Muggle cinemas, so I don't exactly know where things are or, to be honest, what some things are.

Sweet enough, Will bought me a bag of Skittles and a water, while he ordered himself a popcorn, then took me to the theatre our movie was showing in. He's being such a gentlemen! Holding doors for me... Asking me if I need anything! I remember when we were little... He used to be a rude little snot, who I kicked in a rather sensitive place once when he made fun of my height.

"Back or front?" he inquired as we looked at the rather empty movie theatre.

I shrugged, "Back, I guess."

He motioned for me to go first, and I hurried up the black steps to the top row, and plunked down in one of the corner seats, smiling when he sat next to me. For the next several minutes, we chatted about whatever came to mind, which for me, was bitching about my professors at school, and how it was horrible being the only girl, not to mention the only Gryffindor. He was sympathetic, poking fun at my situation, which caused me to slap his arm playfully.

All in all... I like this.

The lights slowly diminished and I jumped when a loud commercial popped onto the screen, which caused Will to snicker and wrap his arm around me, his thumb casually stroking my arm. Grinning, I gently placed my head on his shoulder, sighing happily.

Once we had finished our movie, which we decided was slowly getting worse as time rolled on, we went for a walk through the town, then Will used the Portkey, at my request, to take me home.

"I had fun tonight," I admitted as we walked hand in hand up the pathway to my house.

He smiled, "Me too... Would I be too blunt to ask to do it again?"

Thankfully, it was dark, and he couldn't see me blush as I nodded, "I'd like that. My treat wherever we go."

"Deal."

I turned to face him and smiled, "So... Goodnight."

"Night," he breathed, his hand tucking a bit of my hair behind my ear. "Would you... mind if I kissed you?"

My cheeks burned as cheeks burned as I rocked back and forth on my heels, "Well... I guess I wouldn't mind..."

He smirked and leaned down, his lips lightly brushing against mine, then pulling back. I frowned and moved a little closer, cupping his face and pulling him back in, his lips a little more forceful against mine this time. His arm slunk down to my hip, pulling me up to him.

"Okay, okay!"

I broke the kiss instantly when I heard dad fling the door open, then storm over to us, "I let you have your date, now get inside!"

"Dad!"

"Eloise, you're really pushing it," he snapped, pointing to the house, then quickly glancing at Will, "and you... nice... shirt."

Oh God.

* * *

Hermione hurried down the stairs, worried she had let her niece down completely when she saw Draco dragging her inside.

"Aunt Hermione!"

"I tried!" she exclaimed, running a frustrated hand over her head, "He got bored with books!"

"Well he is a guy," she sniped, pulling away from Draco. "A guy who just ruined the end of my date by scaring him off."

"Well, the little bugger wouldn't leave!"

Hermione rolled her eyes as Eloise left, grumbling under her breath about her father heatedly. Releasing a large sigh, Hermione planted her hands firmly on her hips, her eyes narrowing at the blonde man in front of her, "You ruined her date."

"I did not," he snapped, folding his arms. "She... She was kissing him... The date was over!"

"A kiss is very important to a girl!" Hermione argued, suddenly feeling her cheeks tinge, "I mean... On first dates anyway."

His irritated expression changed, much to her annoyance, to a knowing grin, and he stuffed his hands into his pocket, "Oh really?"

Stupid git was playing around with her.

The day before, she didn't know what had come over here, but there was just that urge to kiss him. He was handsome, and had grown up since they went to school, almost into someone she could imagine herself dating.

However, this was Joyce's ex.

But Joyce is dead.

Yes, she was, as the stupid little voice in her head reminded her, but Hermione was still uncertain if it would be appropriate to do anything more then talking with Draco.

"So tell me... What do you think about kissing, Hermione Granger?" he asked, stalking toward her casually.

She cleared her throat and raised her nose slightly, keeping eye contact with him, "I know that it's important to teenagers."

"And what about someone a little older?" he pressed, moving in very close to her, close enough to touch her, if he wanted.

She wouldn't back down. She never backed down to a Malfoy, and she didn't plan on it.

"I..." Come on, Hermione, _think_, "I... don't know."

"You don't, eh?" he purred, dipping his head down and gently brushing his lips along her neck, "Maybe I can tell you?"

Oh... Oh, it wasn't right! Best friend's husband.

Ex-husband.

She nearly stumbled back over the first stair, but his arms had already circled around her waist, keeping her close to him as his lips worked her neck.

"Draco," she whispered, inhaling sharply when he nibbled on her earlobe/ "Draco, we can't do this."

"Why not?" he murmured, his body molding against hers as he moved to the other side, lavishing it with the same attention he had already been giving her neck. She tried to wiggle loose, but he only tightened his grip, pressing more firm kisses along her skin. Her eyes suddenly shut contently, and she moaned quietly when she felt him sucking on a certain point of her neck, no doubt leaving a mark.

No. No, she couldn't.

Hermione gripped his shoulders tightly and finally managed to get him off. She shook her head, then hurried up the stairs, not turning back to see his reaction.

"Hermione!"

Once she was completely locked in her room, she looked around, taking in the expensive suite she had been given. She couldn't do this. She couldn't stay here anymore.

She wanted to, but it was wrong to do so.

She shrunk all of her clothes and stuffed them into a bag, then hastily grabbed a notepad and scribbled out,

_I feel that I am taking advantage of your hospitality, and I have over-stayed my welcome.  
I apologize for any of the inconvenience that I've caused over my stay. I hope I wasn't a burden.  
While I did enjoy working at Draco's office, I'm sure Lynn is quite capable of functioning without me.  
As for my nieces and nephews, I promise to drop by sometime to see you, maybe once every two weeks, if you like?  
My flat can't be compared to the wonderful home you have now, and I fear all of my plants have perished from lack of water. But, Eloise, Shane, Kevin, and Annie, please behave, and don't give your father too much grief.  
_

_Love,  
_

_Hermione_

__She placed the note on her writing desk she had been given and withdrew her wand. A quick glance in her mirror made her notice the rather blood red mark that Draco had left on her skin, but she pushed her hair in front of it and shut her eyes, imagining her flat, determined to get there. She vanished with a soft 'pop'.


	25. Finally

"What do you mean she's gone?" Kevin asked slowly, his face riddled with confusion, "Why would she leave?"

Lucius took another forkful of his waffles and chewed them slowly, trying to figure out some new wording that wouldn't offend his grandson, "It's quite simple, really. She apparently thought she was a burden, and left last night."

"What would have given her that idea?" Eloise chattered in a flustered manner.

Shane took a sip of orange juice, then added darkly, "More like _who_ would have given her that idea?"

Three sets of eyes slowly turned to him, and Lucius felt his lip curl into a snarl, "I hadn't talked to the damn girl since dinner last night... Stop looking at me!"

Narcissa giggled under her breath beside him and he shot her a scowl, which she returned with a mere raise of her perfectly shaped eyebrow. He rolled his eyes, then glanced down at his watch, noting the lateness of the hour, and the children had lessons with Severus in ten minutes.

"You're uncle is expecting you in ten minutes," he informed his grandchildren, "and I'm sure none of you are interested in his foul moods when you are _late_."

Kevin shot his sister a nervous look, and the pair both left the table quickly, even though Eloise still had half of her breakfast left to finish. Perhaps Severus had already shown off some of his famous classroom temper.

Shane remained seated, still staring up at Lucius. He let out a groan, "Is there something you wish to say to me, Shane?"

The boy dropped his spoon into his empty bowl of cereal, a thoughtful expression on his face, "Did you like Aunt Hermione?"

Did he like Hermione? He'd never admit it, but the girl was a treat to have around. Seldom did you find a woman with such a fascinating mind, one that isn't insane. Narcissa is intelligent, but he's given up arguing his point with her years ago, since he knew he would lose. Hermione, however, always seemed ready to debate something, and many nights were spent talking about wizarding history and such.

She was a suitable girl... for a Muggle born.

"She was very intelligent," he finally replied, finishing off the last of his waffles and pushing his plate away. "It's a pity she left."

The boy seemed satisfied, and departed, passing Draco as he hurried out of the dining hall. Lucius watched his son freeze, then glance over his shoulder, pointing curiously at Shane's retreating figure, "Isn't he supposed to be at his lesson?"

"We were discussing something, you see," Lucius stated, somewhat amused at his son's look of curiosity. "It seems Ms. Granger thought she was a burden, and left last night."

Draco's face fell and his shoulders suddenly slumped, "What... She left? Why?"

"I was hoping you could answer that," Lucius chuckled, leaning back in his high-backed wooden chair, his eyes locked onto his son. "Seeing as you were the last person to talk to her."

"I... I..."

Lucius raised his eyebrows as his son began shifting on the spot, something he usually did when he was trying to think, "I... Oh."

"_Oh_?" Narcissa imitated, her eyes narrowing, "Oh? Draco, what did you do to her?"

"I didn't do anything bad, Mother!" Draco insisted, his eyes darting back and forth between his parents, "Honestly... I... We... I didn't do anything bad!"

Apparently what he had done left a mark on Draco, since he rarely was ever at a lose for words, as far as Lucius was concerned.

"You did something to Aunt Hermione?" Annie exploded, causing Lucius to jump; he had forgotten she was still sitting there.

Draco made a face, "Daddy didn't do anything ba-"

Annie shoved herself awkwardly away from the table, then stomped across the room, a scowl on her small face. She shot Draco a feisty look before exiting the room dramatically, which forced Lucius to hold in a snort threatening to escape. His wife set down her utensils and dabbed the corners of her mouth with her napkin, shaking her head at Draco, "You're just upsetting everyone here, aren't you?"

"Mother..."

Lucius's eyes followed Narcissa as she strode out of the room, no doubt to tend to Annie. Draco let out a frustrated groan and ran a hand through his hair, "I didn't hurt her or anything!"

"What did you do then?" Lucius asked seriously, folding his hands in his lap, "Because it had to have been something to make her want to leave."

Draco began chewing on his lip, his eyes completely unfocused as he drifted from thought to thought. Lucius was always so annoyed when his son did this. It meant he was paying any attention to anything Lucius had to say.

"Floo Lynn and tell her I'm taking the day off," Draco ordered quickly, snatching a piece of uneaten toast off of Eloise's vacated plate and hurrying toward the door.

Lucius rolled his eyes, "Where are you going?"

"I need to find her," Draco said simply, not even stopping to look back at him. With a sigh, Lucius shook his head; the damn fool was in love.

* * *

"Annie? Sweetie?" Narcissa knocked gingerly on her granddaughter's door, sticking her head inside, "Are you all right, dearest?"

She spotted the small girl sitting on her bed, Bo at her side, and she was absentmindedly picking the fluff off of her teddy bear.

"Hullo Grandmother," Annie sighed, scooting over when Narcissa entered the room. "Did Daddy make Aunt Hermione go away?"

"No, I don't believe he did," Narcissa admitted, taking a seat beside her on the bed, stroking her long, blonde hair patiently. "When we find out why she left, we'll tell you, all right?"

Narcissa knew what her son was capable of. He had tortured, killed, and hurt so many people during the war, but when it came to family... He would never hurt his family. While Hermione was certainly not family, Narcissa made the effort to treat her as such during her stay. The woman was wonderful with the children, and Narcissa could see they were quite hurt that she had left. Draco would never cause them harm like that.

"How about a nice walk around the manor?" Narcissa suggested, rising off the bed and strolling over to the window, opening it slightly and allowing some of the cool air to filter in. During the fall months, the manor was always so stuffy, it was difficult to get by without keeping several windows open.

"Can Bo come, too?" Annie inquired as Narcissa glided across the room, pulling out a nice blue dress for Annie to wear.

She grinned when she spotted one that was suitable for a young lady on a walk, then glanced back, "Of course... But you must walk him. I think your Grandfather is tired of everyone else doing it."

"Okay," she droned dully, patting her dog's head softly. "He likes going for walks."

The little dog they had purchased in the summer was getting bigger by the day, and Narcissa couldn't remember how many times she had shot a hex close to the silly animal when she walked in on him chewing her furniture. Lucius definitely got an ear full of her complaints, and finally he started reprimanding the dog properly.

"Put this on, and then we can head outside," Narcissa ordered politely, placing the dress on the bed next to Annie, "and do run a brush through your hair, darling... There are a lot of tangles."

"I can't reach the back though," she pouted, sliding off the bed and picking up the dress Narcissa had chosen. "Can Grandfather come on our walk?"

"Do you want him to?"

"Yes!"

"Very well," Narcissa sighed, pushing some stray hairs out of her face, "I'll go ask him if he would like to come while you get dressed."

"Yes, Grandmother."

Oh, the girl was so wonderfully behaved. A proper young Pureblood lady, no doubt.

Narcissa found her husband hovering around his one Muggle hobby he was quite insistent on keeping; ship building. He had countless documents and pictures of Muggle ships plastered on the walls of his workshop in the attic, accompanied by several large and small ship models he had made after he retired from work.

"Darling?" she called, tapping on the open door of his shop.

He looked up from his model and stepped away swiftly, looking a little shamed, "Yes?"

"You know I don't mind you doing something Muggle?" she chuckled, folding her arms, "I like to garden, but you don't see me drop the hose and run inside every time you come out to see me."

She knew he felt ashamed to like anything that was related to Muggles, so every single time she walked in on him building she needed to remind him he needn't worry.

"Annie and I are going for a walk," she informed him, "She's calmed down, and I figured some fresh air would do her good."

"Excellent idea."

"She'd like for you to come along."

"Would she?"

"Yes."

Narcissa smiled as her husband, tucked away a few tools and nodded, "I suppose I could use some air. It's rather stuffy in here, isn't it?"

"I opened some windows on the way up," Narcissa sighed, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Make sure you wear a cloak though... There's a draft outside."

"Noted, dearest."

Narcissa nodded her head, then hurried back downstairs, making one quite stop to grade her warm cloak for their little venture. When she arrived in the front hall, she found Annie stuffing her feet into a pair of shoes, the laces still tied, with some difficulty. She smiled, "Annie, please... Untie your laces before putting on your shoes."

"Why?"

"The backings will stretch out," she informed the young witch, leaning down to help her with her shoes. Annie leaned back and watched as Narcissa's manicured hands got the white laces undone, then slid her feet into the shoes, properly tying them up once again. Once she had finished, Narcissa rose, with some difficulty, to her feet and busied herself fixing Annie's cloak so it hung off her properly.

"Annie," Lucius said sharply as he made his way down the stairs, Bo nipping at his heels with each step. "Please get your pet off and away from my feet."

"He wanted you to go faster," Annie giggled, calling her faithful pet to her side. "You were taking too long."

"Oh, well excuse me," Lucius grumbled under his breath, retrieving his walking cane from the bucket of umbrellas beside the door. Narcissa scoffed at him, almost tempted to remind him at how impatient he was as a child, but she held her tongue.

"Come along then," she ordered, opening the thick door for her granddaughter. As soon as the cool draft filtered in, Bo charged through the opening, dragging Annie along behind him at the end of the leash. Narcissa's eyes widened and she hurried out after her granddaughter, only to let out a sigh of relief when she spotted the small witch giggling shrilly as Bo sniffed a few of the potted plants along the pathway.

"No need to hurry until we hear a scream," Lucius chuckled, stepping outside and tucking her arm around his. "She's fine, Cissa."

"I know," the witch replied, sticking her nose in the air. "A grandmother always worries."

They walked in silence for some time, Narcissa keeping an eye on the small girl who kept running on ahead of her, each time she got farther and farther away. It was difficult not to call her back, but Narcissa resisted. The leaves were falling slowly off the trees around her, and Annie's laughter could be heard for miles as she and Bo rushed through piles of them the house elves had made earlier that morning. It wasn't much of a bother; the servants could do the job again.

"Why do you think she left?" Lucius asked suddenly, his walking cane thumping loudly against the ground with each step, "Were we unkind to her?"

Narcissa shook her head, gripping his arm a little tighter with some of the emotion she had been feeling all morning, "No... No, we were beyond kind."

She instantly missed the other witch when Hermione was no longer in the manor. It was just so nice to have another grown woman to sit and talk with about little things, like house keeping and such. Hermione was a delight to have around, when Narcissa really thought about it. Her personality made up for her lack of blood pureness completely.

"What do you suppose Draco did then?" she whispered, mentally scolding herself for even asking the question, "It must have been horrible."

Lucius grinned cheekily and patted her hand, "I don't think it was horrible, dear."

Narcissa slowly looked up at him and frowned, her eyes slowly widening, "You know something, don't you?"

"Well, I have a theory," he mused, his eyes following Annie as she darted around a few trees. "I think he's very much taken with her."

Taken...

"Oh!" Narcissa cried, a giddy smile crossing her lips, "Oh, do you think, Lucius? Imagine it! Wouldn't it be wonderful?"

"I suppose..."

"It wouldn't matter that she isn't a Pureblood, since all the children are already pure," she prattled. "Oh, Lucius, wouldn't it be wonderful if they got married! He would have a family again!"

"Maybe they would all move out..." Lucius wondered softly, his eyes misting over with possibilities.

Narcissa pinched his arm, "I'm not letting my grandchildren leave already."

They only just arrived! How could he think of sending them away?

"They've been here for nearly two months," Lucius protested, suddenly silencing when Annie appeared out of no where beside them, her hand clutched around something.

She smiled, "Look! Look! A froggy!"

Narcissa wrinkled her nose in disgust when Annie shoved a small frog up for them to see, and she noted Lucius trying very hard to keep his smile on his face, "Very... lovely, dear, maybe you should go put him back."

"I want to keep him, though."

"I think he would be much happier outside."

"Can I keep him?"

"No, Annie."

"But-"

"Annie."

"Fine," Annie grumbled, shooting her grandfather a similar look she had given Draco when she stormed out of the dining hall that morning, "but I'm keeping him for the walk."

"Very well," Lucius muttered, and with that, she took off down the path, keeping a distance between herself and her grandparents.

* * *

Fred moved quickly around his shop, replacing the shelves that were running low on items with skill that had taken a few years to perfect. However, his joint shop with his twin was his favourite place to be, besides with his wife-to-be upstairs in their apartment.

The bell suddenly dinged loudly as he finished putting some Peppermint Puke tablets into their proper place, then shoved the box on the top of the shelf, out of sight from costumers. He heard George already shuffling out from behind the register to greet the costumer, until he heard, "Oh... Look what we have here. Come have a look, Fred?"

"What is it?" Fred asked, somewhat amused at his twin's tone, however, when he rounded the corner, he understood why, "Hello, Malfoy."

Draco Malfoy stood in the front of the shop, his cheeks red from the nippy air outside, and his hair a complete mess. He swallowed thickly, "Fred. George. I need to speak with you, and I'm afraid it's urgent."

"Good, because we'd like to speak to you too, Malfoy," Fred hissed dangerously, watching as George walked around the blonde wizard and locked the shop door, turning the 'Open' sign to 'Closed' sharply.

Hermione Granger had come to see them late last night, sobbing at their doorway that she had done something terrible, and muttering it was all _his_ fault. They tried to pry it out of her what had happened, but no matter how many calming potions they slipped in her drink, she'd get all weepy and begin to cry again. Both Katie and Angelina sat with her while Fred and George decided, no doubt, Draco had done something horrid to her, which scared her away.

"I need to find Hermione," Draco blurted as Fred leisurely removed his wand, "I... I need to talk to her."

"Afraid she'll tell something to someone, eh Malfoy?" George pressed, imitating his twin with his wand, "We had a chat with her last night, didn't we, Fred?"

"That we did, George," Fred replied, his eyes narrowing at the younger wizard. "Quite distressed, wasn't she, George?"

"She was indeed, Fred," George replied, shaking his head, then pointing his wand at Draco. "Any idea why she was at our door last night, at nearly eleven, sobbing?"

Draco's face fell and he held up his hands, each one trained on one of the Weasleys wands, "Look... I can explain, but I really need to talk to her first."

Fred snorted loudly, "Like we'd let you go near her. What did you do?"

Draco's eyes flashed dangerously and he adjusted his regal robes, "I did nothing to harm her... I... For Merlin's sake I kissed her, all right?"

Fred's nose wrinkled and his grip on his wand relaxed, but only slightly, "Why would you kiss her?"

It didn't make much sense, in his mind. Why would Malfoy kiss Hermione?

"It's none of your business why I want to kiss her!" Draco exploded, his lip beginning to curl as his anger boiled, "Where is she?"

"If you want to get out of here in one piece, I suggest you answer the question," George growled, "or you can let us test out some of our ... newer products on you. Right, Fred?"

"Right George."

Draco shifted nervously when his eyes landed on a few of their shelves, his eyes widening at the comical labels strapped onto them. He cleared his throat, then mumbled something. Fred smirked, "Speak up, Malfoy... I was a little hard of hearing there."

Draco groaned, and through clenched teeth, he snarled, "I fancy her."

Fred finally lowered his wand and studied the wizard. He did seem visibly flustered that he was not allowed to see Hermione, and he began to wonder if there was truth to his words.

George shot Fred a cautious look and set his wand back in his robes, "How much?"

"What?"

"How much do you fancy her?" Fred ground out, watching his face intently for a reaction.

Draco gulped and looked down, "I... I can't stand her being gone, I've finally realized."

"Do we believe him, Fred?"

"I think we do."

"Let me get her address."

George vanished into the back of the shop, rummaging for a piece of paper loudly. Fred looked Draco dead in the eye, "We're letting you go because we believe you... Don't make us regret it."

"You won't," Draco murmured, his expression stony as ever, "I'm going to find her, and I'm going to look after her, properly."

Fred raised his eyebrows at Draco's wording, and the blonde instantly corrected himself, "I'm going to correct whatever I've done to hurt her."

George reappeared from behind a few shelves, handing Draco a small slip of parchment, "She won't have gone anywhere... If you hurt her..."

"I'll be a perfect gentleman," Draco informed them in all seriousness. "Thank you... You don't know how much this meant to me."

"Yeah yeah..."

He moved sharply out of the shop, not even looking back to say goodbye. When Fred peeked out the window, he noticed Draco was running in the direction of Hermione's flat.

"What... What was that all about?"

Fred looked back at the source of the voice, then sighed weakly, "We need to talk, Harry."

* * *

Draco glanced down at the address George had written him once more and frowned; Hermione couldn't live here. This place was disgusting. Deep in the farthest reaches of Knockturn Alley, there was a building that was nearly falling apart where it stood. Yet, this was where he had been sent.

Sighing, he folded the paper up, remembering her flat number, then hurried inside, spotting a door with the staircase symbol above it. She was four floors up, which shouldn't be too much, but considering he was already out of breath from running all the way from the Weasleys shop, he may be in a little bit of trouble. But this was for Hermione. He gritted his teeth and ripped the door open, nearly flying up the first two sets of stairs, then jogging up the last two.

Number thirty-seven... That was her apartment number. He rushed down the narrow, smelly hallway, his determined grin slowly turning into a sneer at the pathetic building. Someone needed to do some serious renovations, soon.

He finally stopped at her door, a million things running through his head. She cried after last night? He hadn't... hurt her? Had he? No, no he was sure he hadn't.  
Draco raised his hand and pounded on the door, then took a step back, waiting. He stood in silence for a few moments, until he finally heard locks opening, and the door opened the reveal a very tired, grubby looking Hermione.

Her hair was drawn up in a sloppy bun, her eyes were red, and her clothes were so profoundly Muggle... He just wanted to kiss her.

Her eyes fell upon him and she dropped the cup of coffee she had been clutching, then slammed the door in his face. Shocked, he stood rigidly for a moment, then sprung into action, banging on the door, "Please! Hermione! I'm not going anywhere now... I can tell you're in there!"

"Go away, Draco!"

He groaned, "No! Please, please talk to me."

"There's nothing to talk about!"

Other then the fact he had this urge to make everything better between them...

"Of course there is! Hermione, you can't deny it anymore."

There was silence, and when he leaned closer to the door, he heard a muffled sob, "Just go away."

"I will not," he said firmly, leaning against the door. "I'm going to sit here until you let me in."

"I don't want to talk!"

"But I do!"

"So?"

"We can compromise," he suggested. "We can just talk for a little while?"

A little while was all he needed for her.

"This is wrong, Draco," she said meekly, her voice very close to the door, which suggested she too was leaning against it. "We can't do this."

"Do what?"

"This!" she exclaimed, her voice sounding shrill and high, "We can't be. Nothing can happen!"

"Why not!" he demanded, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance, "Hermione, this could work."

"No... No it can't."

"Explain why it can't!"

"Explain why it could!"

He grinned, liking this argumentative side more than ever, "Because I fancy you... And you fancy me."

"... That's not a reason."

"Of course it is," he chuckled, almost feeling her breaking down. "Loads of people get together because of that!"

"But..."

"Please, just let me see you... I can help you understand if we're face to face."

He waited, and for what seemed like decades, he waited some more. Until finally, he felt the door open slightly, and Hermione's voice floated out, "Fine, come in."


	26. Not just a fling

Hermione opened the door slowly for him, and Draco instantly hurried in, trying hard not to just grab her and kiss her. However, he finally stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes drifting around the apartment.

"I... I didn't have time to... clean," Hermione stammered, scratching the back of her head, causing a few thick strands of hair to tumble out of her ponytail. Draco held in a snort; a cleaning job _was not_ what this flat needed. More like an entire remodeling.

The kitchen, living room and small library was one large room, and instead of an actual dinner table, there were a few bar stools at the counter, most of which were rusted. A few plants, now dead and dry, littered the very small windows, along with several herbal plants that were on the kitchen counter. Most of the furniture, from what he could see, had to have been second hand, but clean. There was a blanket folded over the couch, giving it an almost warm feeling. None of the colours really matched, and Draco guessed nothing here was actually a set.

"Money's tight," she said loudly when she noticed him staring, and when Draco glanced over to her, he noticed she was scowling at him.

He grinned, "Love... Don't look at me like that."

"Don't call me 'love'!" she shrieked, throwing her arms up in the air, then letting out a frustrated grumble, "I'm not your love."

"And how do you know that?" he mused, cocking an eyebrow and jumping when something suddenly rubbed against his leg.

Hermione giggled and swept forward, hoisting up an orange ball of fluff, kissing the top of the cat's head, "Crookshanks... Do you remember Draco?"

Crookshanks? Oh, that devil of a cat that made a habit of following Draco whenever he was on prefect duty! God, he hated that thing.

The animal's eyes seemed to grow, and then released a loud, sharp hiss, causing Hermione to laugh once again, "Apparently he does."

"The feeling's mutual, I'm afraid," he informed her, checking the cat's flexing claws cautiously. "Hermione, we need to talk."

Her face fell and she deposited Crookshanks on an orange armchair, then sat on the arm, "About what? Us? Draco... We can't have an us."

"Why not?" he argued smoothly, closing the gap between them by kneeling beside her, knowing women in this sort of situation liked to seem higher, "Hermione, why are you fighting this?"

"Why aren't you?" she demanded, pushing his hand away as it crept up to clasp hers, "Draco, you were married to my best friend! ... Who hasn't even been dead two months!"

"Hermione," he cooed affectionately, watching as she stormed to the other side of the room to lean on the wall and glare at him, "I didn't feel anything for Joyce in the end... Our ... romantic feelings obviously ended years ago, otherwise we both would have tried to keep whatever we had alive."

"She..." Hermione trailed off, holding herself in her arms, "You... I can't let myself do this!"

Draco ran a hand through his hair and released a deep sigh, "Hermione, why are you doing something to yourself that would only make _other_ people happy? Why can't you do something for yourself?"

The question seemed to catch her off her guard, since her jaw fell open, then closed several times, as if she was desperately trying to think of something to say back. He took her speechless moment to his advantage and slid across toward her, pulling her hands together, then up around his neck, "Hermione... Isn't it obvious this would be a good idea?"

"Not to me," she murmured, her hands slithering up a little more and fiddling with a few longer pieces of hair Draco had tied back. "Maybe... I don't know!"

"Maybe I can... Help you make up your mind," he chuckled huskily, smiling mentally when he noticed her cheeks colour. "Eh, what do you say to that?"

Her large brown eyes slowly moved up to meet his, and he tilted his head suggestively, his pale blues studying her slightly parted lips. Not wanting to prolong the moment any more than necessary, he dipped his head down, roughly brushing his lips against hers, then stepping closer for more. Hermione inhaled sharply and tilted her head up, her lips light against his as Draco curled his arms around her hips, nearly lifting her up into his form.

Oh Gods he needed her.

It was a little difficult for his child's mind to understand _why_ he was doing this with Hermione Granger. Never before had he ever really thought of her like this, and he was sure if she hadn't shown up back in Diagon Alley he never would have missed her. But now, now that he had seen her, and currently tasted her, he couldn't imagine spending anymore time without her.

"No," she cried, suddenly dragging the back of his head away, panting slightly. "No, no, Draco... No, don't do this to me."

"Let me," he whispered urgently, leaning back down and planting a few hard pecks along her neck. "Hermione, we're good for each other, you and I."

"Why, because we're completely opposite on almost everything?" she asked breathlessly, letting out a squeak when he nipped at her skin. Her hands were still threaded in his hair, and she tugged at him softly when he used his teeth on her again.

Draco smirked against her skin, then looked up at her flushed face, "What more of a cliché romance could you ask for? The only thing is, _we_ actually fancy each other... Usually opposites don't."

She let out a dry laugh and he resumed tempting her, kissing along her neck, enjoying how soft her skin was, the way she smelled. Everything.

Perhaps it was cheesy, classless, and horribly cliché, but Draco no longer cared, really.

"Oh, Merlin..." Hermione finally whimpered, cupping his face forcefully and dragging him up to her lips, ramming hers against his. He was slightly taken back by her manner, but enjoyed it nonetheless, planting his hand on the wall beside her head and sliding his leg between hers, bringing her up a little higher. Her hands slid up his face and back around into his hair, pulling it loose from the tie he had used to keep it back.

It wasn't as long as his father's hair, and he'd never let it be, but he actually liked it just a little above his shoulders. However, he was quite conscious about what other people thought of him with lengthy hair, as his mother expressed her discontent with him as much as she did with his father, so he normally kept it back.

Hermione, it seemed, preferred it down, and was quite content to knot it up around her fingers. He pulled away for a moment, ignoring her small whimper of protest, then placed his forehead against hers, "Hermione?"

"Mmm?" she licked her lips tentatively, which stirred something in his fiber to just leaned back down and take her harshly against the wall.

Something about being a Death Eater makes people want to do everything the hard way...

Speaking of hard...

His eyes widened and he instantly began picturing his mother and father kissing, which seemed to calm things down.

"I think you should come back and live with me again," he suggested, stroking her cheek gently with his free hand. "I mean... The children were crushed when they found out you left... And I wasn't pleased either..."

"I didn't want to hurt them," she sighed, licking her lips once again, "I just... I thought something would happen if I stayed."

"That wouldn't have been a bad thing," he chuckled, leaning down to kiss her once again.

She ducked out of the way, then maneuvered her way out of his limbs, "Draco... Are we... dating?"

That _was_ the whole point of him coming down to this rot pile, and he was glad she finally got it.

"I should like to hope so," Draco replied, turning his back to the way and relaxing against it. "Come home with me."

"Couples that just start dating do _not_ live with each other right away," she sniped in a rather bothersome snobbish tone. "It wouldn't be right."

"So every time any of us want to see you we have to come down... here?" Draco asked slowly, his face portraying his disgust with the very idea, "I don't want my little girls in Knockturn Alley all the time, Hermione. I hardly want you in here."

"Don't be silly," she remarked, pulling her sloppy hair out of its restraints, then tying it back up. "Fred and George live just down the street... It's a quick run to get there, if not a faster apparation."

Ah yes, those bloody Weasleys. As much as he disliked everything about them, they seemed to genuinely care about Hermione, and wouldn't let anything happen to hurt her.

Draco shifted his weight between his feet, "Well... At least let me buy you some new furniture... Fix it up a bit. If my parents drop by, mother will be so insistent you move back in Merlin himself won't be able to sway her."

Hermione let out a laugh, her face finally at ease. With that, Draco stalked toward her, swooping down and engulfing her once again in his own brand of kiss.

* * *

Snape's eyes skimmed over his Eloise's essay, then scratched out an unnecessary line and scribbled what she should have written in dark ink along the sides. Her essays, thankfully, were not as tedious as her brothers. Neither of them really seemed to _care_ about what they were writing, and Snape sometimes wondered why he bothered reading them at all.

Brought back many memories, that thought did.

He guessed the boys were much like their father. Snape remembered dragging Draco into his office on several occasions to give him a firm talking to, and demand why he hadn't put more effort into his work. A lot had changed since then. He glanced across the dungeons, the only place in his home he would ever allow to be changed into a classroom, and noticed godson's three children chatting rather animatedly over their cauldrons. His eyes narrowed when he noticed Shane add too much pig hoof to his mixture, but said nothing, and would enjoy criticizing him later. However, their voices seemed to get louder, and although he was slightly annoyed at the volume, he was much more curious to know what they were talking about. So, finally setting aside their History of Magic essays, he sauntered over, making a complete circle around the trio until he finally stopped behind Kevin, a pleased smile on his face. At least none of their Potions had gone horribly wrong, yet.

"We all seem rather chatty today," he intoned silkily, clasping his hands behind his back. "What's the topic?"

"Aunt Hermione moved out yesterday," Kevin stated, turning away to sneeze as a bit of dust flew up from the root he cut, "and she said she 'over-stayed her welcome'."

"Which is a load of bullshi... rubbish," Shane added, rolling his eyes. "I mean... Her and dad have been so bloody close to snogging half the time... I bet _that_ had something to do with it."

Snape raised his eyebrows, curious as to why they were all so open about discussing their father's romantic intentions. Apparently none of them had a problem.

"Well, yeah Dad likes her, but I think it's more than that," Eloise commented cheekily, stepping back from her Potion as she let it simmer. "Dad likes her an awful lot more than that."

Was he hearing this correctly? Draco 'liking' Hermione Granger? A Muggle born girl? Did Lucius and Narcissa know of the extent of the affection?

"I think Dad just has a wee crush," Kevin finally said after a moment or so. "I mean... How often have we sat and listened to them bicker?"

"Yeah, but you didn't see Dad run out after you two left this morning," Eloise giggled, shaking her head and tucking a blonde piece of hair behind her ear. "Apparently he shouted to Lucius that he was looking for Aunt Hermione, and not to wait up..."

Kevin wrinkled his nose as his sister cocked an eyebrow, "Ew!"

Yes, ew indeed. It wasn't as if he needed to listen to what his little godson was doing in his love life.

Not that Draco was really little anymore. He remembered a time when he used to visit Lucius and Narcissa on the weekends, and Draco would come sit with him on the couch, the boy no older then four or five, and try to add in some sort of advice that he thought would suit the conversation. He also remembered Draco's first year of school, when he slumped over his desk in Snape's classroom and complained that Pansy Parkinson kept ruffling up his hair whenever she got close.  
Time truly does fly, as corny as it was to admit. But, now he had a younger generation of Malfoys to mentor, and actually didn't mind doing it.

However, as he eased away from the group back to his desk, deciding he may give their Herbology diagrams a look, he noted something. They were all so mature for their ages.

Yes, they snarled at each other like common siblings did, but when it came to a lot of topics that many adults steered away from, they were quite grown up about it.  
It almost gave him some odd sense of pride that they were almost related to him. Not blood related, but still, he was their 'Uncle Severus', just as he was to Draco.

"You may go home, if your potions are completed," he announced, making the choice to give them the day off. "Just tell your grandfather I came down with a migraine..."

Lucius would inevitably end up coming over to inquire _why_ he was 'slacking' on his teaching duties, but Snape had a feeling there were more important things on the children's mind at the point in time.

* * *

_Hey Shane...  
Look, I'm sure you know, but there is a Slytherin party over at Zabini's house, and I was wondering if you could... look out for me?  
I don't know anyone very well, but I'd like to.  
Write back if you're going.  
- Sawyer.  
_  
Shane reread the letter several times before he sent one back, stating he would be happy to go with her, and keep an eye on her, quite literally.

His head was still hurting from the vigorous Arithmacy lesson Snape had taught them first thing that morning, and he was quite content to spend the afternoon in the Muggle room, listening to Kevin play computer games in the background, while Eloise sat writing up some homework for her Hogwarts classes.

"I've finally got a new one," Shane said loudly, causing Eloise to glance up. "Spent a long time on it... But I have a new song."

"If it's anything like the one about rabbits and frogs dominating England, I don't give a shit," Eloise remarked as her eyes traveled back down to her textbook. Shane grinned; God that song was good.

"No... It's more personal then that," he admitted, shrugging his shoulders as he randomly plucked a few cords on his guitar. "Want to hear?"

He didn't mind sharing his personal thoughts with his siblings. Annie, who sadly was almost always left out of this bonding time, was off at Narcissa's sisters house, Bellatrix or whatever, to spend the day with her 'aunt'. Honestly, they'd met the woman once and Annie was already spending the day with her.

"You three are home early," Lucius suddenly sniped from the door, his eyes sweeping over Shane and his siblings as Narcissa leaned in from behind.

Kevin, barely looking away from his monitor, remarked, "Uncle Severus had a headache."

"Ah."

"Are you going to play something, Shane dearest?" Narcissa cooed, sliding in gracefully to the room and leaning on the couch backing.

Shane shrugged, not really sure if he wanted his grandparents to listen to him play, yet, "Uh... I don't think you'd like it."

"Right then," Lucius said quickly. "Come along, Cissa-"

"Nonsense," his grandmother hushed, waving off Lucius, "I'd like to listen."

Eloise finally shut her book and tossed it to the side, curling her knees up into her chest, "C'mon brother _dearest_... We could be in a musical and all burst out into song if you got us started."

He shot her a scowl, which she returned with a rather amused smirk. His grandmother cleared her throat, almost as if she was trying to get him to start. With a sigh, he picked up his guitar and set it out properly under his arms, knowing from overhearing conversations between his father and Lucius that Narcissa Malfoy usually got whatever she wanted. He began with a few slow chords, then picked up the pace, remembering it without so much as a glance at his sheet music.

It was a song that sounded... hateful. He knew that wasn't the original intention, but it was about a girl. A girl who wouldn't let him save her, and in the end, it had ruined everything.

Once he had finished, his emotions spent on everything he had just poured into the song, he set his guitar down. His sister shot him an almost knowing look, then returned to her reading without so much as a word.

"Well," Narcissa mused softly, "That was... interesting."

If she couldn't think of anything to say, she didn't need to comment. Shane rose to his feet, stuffing his hands into his pants pockets, "I got invited to a party at Darius Zabini's house tonight... Do you mind if I go?"

"No, go on," Lucius answered as he stood in the doorway. "Be back before sunrise... You're uncle won't be lenient if you're hung-over either."

Well... That was a lot easier then he thought it would be. Shane shot both of his grandparents a smile, then hurried out of the room to get ready, distinctly hearing his sister shriek, "Why does he get to go out without a fuss?"

* * *

This is SUCH bullshit! I had to fight dad to go on one measly little date with Will...

But when Shane asks to go to a party, Lucius jokes about getting drunk? What kind of world is this?

I threw down my Arithmancy textbook and stood swiftly, glaring at Lucius, "How come he gets to go out without a fuss?"

"He's a boy, and he's older," Lucius stated simply, cocking an eyebrow. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"Oh-ho-ho," Kevin snorted from the computer, "I can hear the heavy breathing... She may just scream at you."

I grinned as Grandmother sent him a chastising look, then a placid one to me, "When you're sixteen, you can go anywhere you like, anytime you like."

"Cissa!"

Fuck yeah! I love Grandmother.

"She's trustworthy enough, Lucius," Grandmother snarled, shooting him a glare, "and we'll discuss it later."

Kevin made a soft 'whipped' noise, and I held in a snort. The murderous glint in our Grandfather's eyes was enough to keep us from arguing, or provoking him, any further.

"Shane has a nice voice," Grandmother commented as I settled back down on the couch. "How long has he been singing?"

"Since... Well, since mum and Fred taught him to play the guitar," I admitted, trying to leave out the part where he was forced to sing out on the street for money. She may just die of shock.

"And that song... Do you know the meaning to it?"

I heard the keyboard stop clattering, and I glanced back at Kevin as he turned around to finally face the group. We exchanged looks, and I let out a sigh, "They should know sometime. Dad needs to know to... Could save him a lot of moodiness from Shane."

"Hmm," Kevin murmured, pushing his square glasses up his nose. "You sure it was about that?"

"How could it be about anything else. Now that Sawyer's around... He's all ... reminiscent."

"Guess so."

The pair of us both drifted off into a thoughtful silence, until Lucius finally cleared his throat forcefully, "Are we hearing a story here, or no? I have better things I could be doing."

"Lucius!"

"Well it's true!"

"You can get back to looking at your little ships anytime..."

"You build ships?" Kevin asked.

I grinned, hearing the excitement in his voice, then added, "Kev's obsessed with ship building..."

Oh! Something they can bond over! Finally...

Yeay. I'm actually happy for them.

Grandmother and I shared an identical frown as Lucius and Kevin went into a rapid conversation of what sort of ships they liked. Rolling my eyes, I threw my notebook at Kevin, "I was about to tell a story here... Talk later."

Kevin hurled the book back, adjusted his glasses, then glared, "Fine... Go on then."

"Right," I sighed, glad to see people were actually listening to me, "Shane used to date this girl named Amy. They started liking each other in First year, then dated in Second, and went out until Fourth year. Long time, I know... Anyway. She was a bit of an odd one. I mean, she was the loveliest person around Shane, but a complete cow to us... She went through really violent mood swings, and usually took out the darker, more depressed ones on Shane, blaming him loads. One day, in Fourth year, Shane went to go check on her, since she hadn't attended any of her classes... He found her in the boy's bathroom in the Slytherin room, wrists slit, and a note saying she couldn't handle him anymore. I don't know why she would think _he_ was trying to hurt her, but he obviously didn't care. He picked her up, ran through the halls to the Hospital Wing and had her treated."

I waited a moment for the fact to sink in before I went on, "She was revived, obviously, and you know what she did? She started laughing. She said it was all a joke, that it had gone too far... And she loved him. So, when they got back together, he always checked up on her, and did everything for her when she got depressed, just so she wouldn't hurt herself anymore. Well... Three months later she does it again, and he didn't get there on time... She ended up dying in the Slytherin Common Room. It was all kept really quiet, and with the war going on, I don't think it really mattered to a lot of people. But since then... He hasn't really trusted girls... Not since Amy."

"Oh, my poor Shane," Grandmother whispered, her hand clasped around a necklace. "Should I-"

"Don't talk to him, Cissa," Lucius stated pointedly. "It was two years ago... Leave it."

"But Lucius... He wrote a song."

For some reason, that just really wanted to make me laugh, but I held it in.

"Cissa."

"He's okay normally," Kevin piped up as he turned back to his warcraft game, "but now that he likes someone at school, obviously he'll think about her. Probably thinks he's cheating on Amy."

"It's a possibility, knowing," I sighed, remembering a huge argument he and I had about dating new people now that Amy was gone. It's not like she could object.

"Speaking of fancying someone," Dad trilled as he slid into the room, leaning back against the wall, "I'm home."

Wow.

The past thirty seconds of my life will haunt me... My dad just sang something...

"Dad, stay straight, please."

"Kevin!"

He knew he'd get yelled at... But, God, that was good.

"You look in love, boy," Lucius snarled, causing Dad to straighten up and wipe the grin off his face. "It's sickening."

"Lucius!"

My, Grandmother is just telling everyone off today, isn't she?

"I spoke with Hermione today," Dad informed us, sobering slightly, "and she is going to remain living at her house... But... We're... uh... dating, sort of."

"Dating, sort of?" Lucius mimicked, "Merlin, this entire house is just obsessed with the romances that life has to offer. Come along, boy... I've a few ships you can look at in my study."

Kevin hopped off his chair and hurried out after Lucius, the look on his face indicating the shock of being invited to do something with his grandfather.

"So, will dear Hermione be moving back sometime?" Grandmother inquired bluntly, sending Dad a searching look, "I will not have you simply having a 'fling' of a relationship, Draco. You have a family to think about now."

And with that, she strode out of the room, completely forgetting about me sitting on the couch. Dad and I exchanged looks, and he cleared his throat, "It's not a _fling_."

"I wasn't judging!"

"Good."

And with all the awkwardness that could be squeezed out of things this afternoon, he left, a silly smile returning to his lips.


	27. Harry Potter

Shane glanced down at the parchment in his hand, then squinted to read the numbers on the house.

This was it.

Sawyer had owled him before he left to ask if he could stop by at her house, and they could just go together. She claimed she would feel awkward showing up too early, and then was afraid she wouldn't be able to find him if she came too late. He replied with a positive remark, then asked for her address, and said they could Floo in together.

So, once he was given the coordinates and the house number, he asked his father to apparate him out to some point in England, which he did happily. Draco seemed as easy about Shane's curfew as Lucius was, but gave a subtle reminder about not being too hung over for classes the next day. God, had Shane been a girl he would have never been allowed out.

Poor Loo; two more years until she got her license to apparate. Shane, however, would be getting his in several months, which made him, like every teenage boy, the happiest bloke on the planet.

He stuffed the paper into the pocket of his jeans, then tugged at his black neckline of the shirt he had thrown on, hoping he looked okay. Eloise always made fun of him for worrying about his appearance, but he normally responded that if she knew more guys, she would know they _all_ fret about what they are wearing, and how their hair looks.

Walking with a somewhat calm stride, Shane went up to the door and rung the bell, then stepped back, waiting to be invited in. Within seconds, the door flew open, and Shane found himself gazing at a miniature Sawyer, which he guessed was her eleven year old sister Tera, "Hi."

She looked him over, raised an eyebrow, then leaned against the door, "Can I help you there, stud?"

Stud? The last person who had called him stud was Mr. D, and that was back in Salem. Shane had been acting like an ass all day long, and when Mr. D finally caught wind of it, he went all out to completely humiliate him in front of everyone. It was a mortifying day.

"I'm here to pick up Sawyer," he said slowly, as though it was the most obvious thing on the planet. "We're going to the... party."

"Uh huh," she droned, looking him over once more, "and you're Shane?"

"Yeah..."

"Oh, come in then."

Confused, he gingerly stepped past her and into the house. Tera giggled as she shut the door, then shot him a grin, "Lotsa boys come here for my sister, but she said to only let the guy in if his name was Shane."

"Oh, did she how?" he chuckled, feeling somewhat smug with himself, "I guess that's a good thing then."

"Whatever, man."

Shane glanced around the house quickly, and noted it was considerably smaller then the Malfoy Manor. It was located in a busy suburban area in some city, somewhere in England. He was complete rubbish with geography, if he was being perfectly honest.

The home was not filled with antique, nor expensive, furniture, like there was at his house. Instead, there was a warm charm that radiated from everywhere, which reminded him of his old house, before he was evicted.

"So, you're Shane?" a deep voice boomed from behind him, causing Shane to nearly leap a foot off the floor. He whipped back, his eyes widening when they landed on a rather large, muscular man clutching a newspaper in his left hand. Shane shifted nervously, but held his calm demeanor, something his grandmother always commented on, stating he had gotten it from the Malfoy men in the family.

The man, whom he was guessing was Sawyer's father, shared many of her and her sister's trait. All three had similar blue eyes, and hair colour. However, while Tera had straight, stick hair, Sawyer and her father both had large curls. The man was a little taller then Draco, and perhaps the same height as Lucius, which was intimidating, to say the least.

"Yes, sir," he greeted, standing a little straighter, his voice going deeper. "Pleasure to meet you."

"You haven't _met_ me until you know my name," the man scoffed, thrusting the newspaper into Tera's hands,."Red Grey."

Oh, _now_ he wanted to laugh. How could someone go through life with two colours in their name?

Shane smiled and shook Red's hand, "Shane Malfoy."

"Good lad," Red boomed, giving his hand an extra squeeze before letting go. "Usually if the boys that come for my little girl laugh at my name, they're out before they can let out their first _ha_."

"I honestly don't see what's funny, sir," Shane stated, trying to remember his manners in front of a Pureblood man. Normally he wouldn't but his grandmother had been grilling it into him lately, and it was almost second nature.

"You don't see what's funny?" Red snorted, raising an eyebrow, "I have two bloody colours in my name!"

God... Was he supposed to laugh now? Or remain serious?

"Dad, stop," Tera ordered, rolling her eyes and stuffing the paper back into his hand. "It's getting sad."

Shane smiled weakly, then heard the sound of a door being pushed open somewhere in the back of the house, and the loud, deep barks of a dog suddenly echoed throughout the rooms. He barely had time to react before a massive golden retriever had jumped him, and he was forced to hold himself up against the wall in order to keep from falling.

"Rollo!" Tera shrieked, hurrying forward and dragging the dog away by the collar, "No! No! You're not allowed to do that!"

Shane grinned and kneeled down, allowing the dog to come over to him as he scratched behind his ears, "No worries... I've got a German Sheppard back home who is just as hyper, if not more."

"Well, you're lucky Rollo," Red rolled his eyes at the name, "approves of you... I suppose you'll do."

"Thank you, sir," Shane commented, wondering why both of Sawyer's family members thought this was a date, or Shane was trying to be Sawyer's boyfriend. Was it a date? God, he had no idea.

"Look out for my daughter tonight," Red ordered, nodding to Shane before disappearing back into the room from which he came.

Tera rolled her eyes, "He's kinda protective."

"My dad's like that too," he sighed, smirking as Rollo plunked down on the floor in front of him, rolling onto his back for Shane to rub his stomach. "My sister Eloise went through Hell just to go out on a date."

"Shane!"

He looked up casually and noted a rather breathless Sawyer rushing down a narrow staircase to the left, "I'm so, so, so sorry... I lost track of time, and I forgot my dad was home-"

"Not a problem," he chuckled, rising and brushing off the pale dog hairs from his black shirt. "Your dad's a nice bloke, don't worry. I like the dog."

"Rollo's mine," Tera commented loudly, causing Sawyer to shoot her younger sister an annoyed glare, then order her to leave.

Shane shot Tera a smirk, "See you later."

"Have fun, and keep it PG-13," the small girl snapped cheekily before disappearing up the staircase.

PG13? What the Hell was that? He had heard it a few times before, but he was never told the meaning of it. Was it embarrassing? Sawyer's cheeks were flushed, and she was glaring at stairs, "She's so irritating."

"I know the feeling," he laughed, stuffing his hands into his pockets and rocking back and forth on his heels. "I have a younger brother, and two younger sisters."

"So you feel my pain?" she laughed, kneeling down to pull on her shoes, giving Shane a moment to look her over.

She was wearing a pair of baggy black pants, and clad in a dark blue halter top, giving him quite a show of cleavage when she kneeled over. Not that he was looking or anything...

Her hair, which was usually wild and loose, was pulled up in a sloppy bun, with a few ringlets trailing down her back. And she smelled... sweet. She smelled good.

"Ready?" he asked when she finished doing up the laces to her converse styled shoes.

She grinned, "Look, thanks for doing this for me... I wouldn't have asked, but you and I get on the best out of all the people I know."

So this wasn't a date. He didn't know whether to be disappointed or not, if he was being honest. Shane grinned, "It's hard coming to a new school... You're the first person to come to Hogwarts the entire time I've been there. It's rough."

"You're being so nice about it though," she sighed, leading him over to the fireplace and stepping in. "I hadn't expected anyone to be friendly with me."

"And why not?"

"I'm not the nicest person when people first meet me," she laughed awkwardly, grabbing a handful of Floo powder, "I come off has a bit of a cow."

"Well... A bit," he replied honestly, ducking his head close to hers in the small fireplace, "but you're worth the bitch-phase."

"The bitch-phase?" she giggled, shooting him a look of mock-hurt, "Well, you're worth the corny jokes stage."

Oh, low blow! Shane smirked and grasped her wrist, raising it, "Say it."

"Zabini Manor," she whispered, and he threw her hand down, all the walls around them erupting in a mass of fire.

Once everything had died down, Shane helped her out of the new, large fireplace, and they were both met with the pounding drone of music, the sounds of people laughing and talking, and the smell of food, smoke, and hints of alcohol. Sawyer cocked an eyebrow, "It's not even eight o'clock and the drinks are already out?"

"What can I say?" Shane laughed over the music, "Slytherins party hard... Plus his parents are out for the night."

"Oh."

He went to walk through the crowd, then grinned when Sawyer grasped his hand, following closely. They both greeted many of the people in their house, but he didn't take much time to sit out and talk to them. He found one of his better friends, John, standing at the food table with Darius, and Shane pulled Sawyer over to them. There were, oddly, more girls at this party, and Shane guessed they were from the private witches boarding school in London. Merlin, these girls were into partying.

"Zabini," Shane called over the music, releasing Sawyer's hand for a moment to shake Darius'. "You started the party without me!"

"It's been on all day, mate," Darius laughed, shaking his hand, "and hello, Sawyer."

She grinned, but refrained from stepping in and hugging him, like most of the girls were doing when they spotted a boy.

"Hey," John greeted, shaking Shane's hand and shooting Sawyer a warm smile. "It's not a real party yet... No one's drunk."

"It's been going all day, and no one is pissed?" Sawyer inquired, moving between Shane and Darius.

John shrugged, "Drinks only came out after sunset..."

"Oh, I see."

The four leaned back against the table, and Shane studied the massive room they were in. There were several speakers blasting music, and in front was a group of couples dancing, the girls grinding up against their boys feverishly, some with drinks in their hands. Other people were sprawled across the couches, some girls and boys laughing over some joke someone was making. There were those playing cards at one table, and Shane suddenly noticed several were missing a few articles of clothing. Oh, God, it was going to be one of _those_ parties.

He always enjoyed going to a house party, but he never liked it when they were overly wild. He was usually content to just have some friends get-together, eat, drink (maybe) and enjoy their company.

"Let's dance," Sawyer said suddenly, grasping Shane's hand and pulling him toward the group of dancers. He groaned mentally, annoyed that she was making him dance without even having a drink yet. He nodded to the group on the couch, who waved at him. Most of the people here were his friends, but he barely knew any of the girls. They were all familiar, since the Slytherins usually partied with the girls from the boarding school. Shane never really had the urge to know any of their names though.

The music had a good beat, so Shane tolerated dancing. However, what made it all worth it was the fact that Sawyer did not seem at all shy about dancing, and in no time their bodies were swaying to the same rhythm. He found because he wrote music, and sang to it, he was less awkward and embarrassed about moving to the beat of something.

Shane wrapped his fingers firmly around her, and pulled her a little closer in, catching a waft of that sweetness he had smelt earlier. God, it was good.

She tilted her head up and grinned, "Not a bad dancer, Mr. Malfoy."

"Well, Ms. Grey, it helps when I have a good partner," he chuckled, sliding his hand out and around her stomach. Sawyer smiled and leaned her head back on his shoulder, her short figure backed against his.

Once they had danced for what seemed like hours, they took a seat on the couch, and much to Shane's content, Sawyer settled onto his lap, one arm draped over his shoulders as Darius handed them both drinks. And then the night began. Many drinks later, Sawyer excused herself to use the loo, and Shane found himself with a very tipsy John, and a rather drunk Darius. The people back playing cards were almost all nude, and only had cloaks over their shoulders if they were sober. It took everyone some time, but as midnight rolled around, everyone was drunk.

Sawyer, thankfully, did not get lost, because if she did, Shane would have a Hell of a time trying to find her. He tried to stay a little sober, but his body didn't seem to want to listen to him when he told it to get off the couch to check on her, and was very pleased when she returned, swaying only a little, then getting back on his lap.

"So your sister..." Darius slurred from the other side of the couch, a silly grin on his face, "God... She's got a fine arse on her."

Shane frowned, "Thanks for that..."

"I'd do her anytime, anywhere, any... time," he snickered, "I'd just wreck her."

"Pig," Sawyer muttered darkly, glaring at him.

Shane rolled his eyes, "Shut up Zabini before I decide to break your face."

"Lemme do Eloise, then you can hurt me."

He couldn't keep it in anymore, "Oh, it wouldn't just be me breaking your face... See... Her seventeen year old boyfriend Will would also love to just kill you."

Were they boyfriend and girlfriend? For now they were. Darius's face dropped, "What?"

"She has a boyfriend, you pervert," Sawyer snapped, rising and pulling Shane with her. "The party has been great, but we need to get going."

Darius barely noticed them leave, and was too busy glaring into his cup to notice. Sawyer pulled him through a drunken haggle of girls, many who were complaining that the party was getting boring. Shane waved to John, but he was too busy eating off some brunette's face to pay him any attention. With one final tug, the short girl had Shane dragged into the fireplace, and in a shorter amount of time, they were back in her home.

"I'm sorry to take you out so early," she sighed, "but I couldn't take it anymore."

"I understand," Shane stated, rubbing his face groggily. "We've got school tomorrow... And... Ugh, I think I would have slaughtered Zabini."

"Understandable," she agreed, leaning up and planting a kiss on his cheek, then handing him some powder. "See you later."

"Night..." he muttered, gently touching his cheek when she was gone.

* * *

"Morning Shane!" I greeted loudly as my hung-over brother stumbled into the dining hall, "How'd you sleep?"

"Shut up, Loo," he snarled, clutching his head. "Your voice is so whiny."

"Now, now, brother dear," Kevin snorted, pulling out a chair loudly for Shane and watching as our older brother tumbled in to it. "No need to be all grumpy, just because you are hung-over."

Lucius cleared his throat forcefully, a signal for us to leave him alone, and we returned to our breakfast. Grandmother shook her head distastefully, then continued to eat her meal in silence, shooting Shane glares every so often. Annie let out a loud sigh, and suddenly piped up, "How come I never get to go see Uncle Severus?"

Oh for ... She's been going on and on about this to me for days now. I think she's jealous that she isn't allowed to go see him, while we get to spend two whole days a week with him. Not that we enjoy it or anything... We have the constant task of trying to keep him in a good mood, which is usually more work then the stuff he assigns us to do.

"Annie, darling," Grandmother cooed, shooting her a smile. "He's very busy all day with your brothers and sister... You can see him when he and Auntie Ginny come for dinner this weekend."

"But they get to see him all the time," she grumbled, shooting the three of us a glare. "I bet he's sad that I don't come."

Kevin snorted loudly, but turned it into a cough and pounded on his chest for effect, causing Lucius to roll his eyes. Grandmother took a delicate sip of her tea, then obviously took pity on my sister, "Why don't I floo Ginny and see if she would like to spend the day with you."

"Okay!" Annie squeaked, tucking back in to her eggs contently. I watched my grandparents exchange glances; Lucius seemed almost amused with how Grandmother had handled the situation, while she gave him a look that warned him to keep quiet.

"Good morning," Dad greeted as he strolled into the dining hall, taking a seat beside his mother. "Lovely day."

"If you're going to be a love-sick boy again, you may leave and return when you're normal," Lucius snapped through gritted teeth, completely ignoring the glare Grandmother had sent him.

Dad beamed as he helped himself to some waffles, "Really, father, was that necessary?"

"It damn well was," Lucius snarled, his eyes narrowing. "Honestly... People will think you've turned into a pouf if you continue to act like that."

Shane's head shot up in surprise, and my eyes widened; it had been the first time we've ever heard Lucius talk to his family like that. Grandmother bit her lip, staring at him sourly, "Lucius..."

"It's fine, mother," Draco chuckled, pouring some syrup over his pancakes. "Father's just in a foul mood because he lost horribly at our games last night."

Ah, yes. Once Shane had left for his party, Dad and Lucius went to visit a few of their friends, and apparently Lucius lost most of his card games, and returned home in a very sour mood.

Lucius burried himself behind his newspaper, and Dad gave me a triumphant grin before digging into his breakfast.

"So are you seeing Auntie Hermione today?" I asked when I had finished with everything on my plate. Kevin and Shane had already finished and left to get their books, and Annie was, apparently, making herself look nice to go see Ginny.

"Of course I am," Dad replied happily, "I'm taking her to buy some ruddy furniture-"

"Language, Draco," Grandmother hissed tightly.

Dad rolled his eyes, "Father didn't get told-"

"I'll deal with him later!"

Lucius raised his eyebrows and snorted, which caused Grandmother to smack him with his folded newspaper, then storm out of the dining hall, clearly just irritated with their behavior that morning.

"Tell her I say hi then," I sighed, pushing away from the table. "See you both this afternoon."

Lucius grunted, and I leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. He froze, then looked up at me and frowned. It just seemed as if he could use some extra attention that morning; he and Shane were both in such horrid moods. It was the least I could do.

I flitted out of the room, almost visioning the halo shining around my head, then took off into a run when I noticed I was going to be late if I didn't move it.

Once I had grabbed my books, quickly cast a teeth cleansing charm, and pulled on a sweater, I tore off downstairs, giving Grandmother a quick kiss before literally flying into the fireplace and sending myself off to Uncle Severus's dungeons.

"I'm not late!" I shouted, clambering in and dusting myself off, "See... See... Four seconds to spare."

"I hope you don't expect me to applaud," Snape droned sarcastically, balancing Annie on his hip as she hugged his neck. Suffocation would be the appropriate wording...

"And why are you here today?" he asked Annie, setting her down on his desk. "Not that I'm not thrilled to see you."

The innocent soul; she's too young to understand his sarcasm.

Annie smiled and batted her lashes, "Grandmother said me and Auntie Ginny are spending the day together."

"Did she now?"

"Yes, sorry," Ginny called as she hurried into the dungeon, smiling at me and making her way over to Uncle Severus. "Narcissa flooed and asked if Annie could spend the day."

She seemed as if she wanted to say more, but it was a little difficult to say anything with Annie so close. Shane, however, picked up on the vibe, "Hey Annie... Wanna see my Potion I made last time... It's a really nice shade of blue."

"Really?" she squealed, sliding off the dark desk and hurrying over. I continued pulling books out of my bag, lending one ear to listen to the conversation.

"She feels left out that everyone gets to see you for two days in the week," Ginny chuckled, touching his arm affectionately. "So Narcissa asked if Annie could spend some time with us... I said she could stay the night, actually, and we'd bring her over tomorrow for dinner."

"Spend the night?" he scoffed, "But... But it's _Friday_."

"And there will be _more_ Fridays," she giggled, rolling her pale green-blue eyes at him. "Annie's so excited."

"Fine," he sighed, "As long as she doesn't interrupt the lesson."

"Don't worry, I'm taking her shopping this afternoon," Ginny informed him, leaning up to give him a quick kiss before stepping around him. "Come on, darling... They need to start their work."

Annie hurried out after Ginny, taking her hand and following the redhead out of the classroom.

So Annie is gone for the day? And the entire night?

Woo.

* * *

Hermione heard a dull knocking at her door just as she was pulling on her jacket, "Come in!"

She smiled as Draco stepped in, and pulled her hair free from where it had gotten stuck in her jacket, "Morning."

"Hi," he purred, crossing toward her swiftly and ramming his lips into hers, which caused her to stumble back and let out a puff of shocked air.

Placing a hand delicately on his chest, Hermione gently pushed him away, then gave him a quick peck, "Slow, Draco. Remember? That's what we agreed on..."

"I know," he whispered huskily, his hand firmly resting on her backside, "I could help it though... You look delicious this morning."

They had spent hours talking about their relationship, snogging, and talking a little more the previous day, and from what Hermione remembered, she had asked him to take things slow with her, since she was still not completely comfortable with the whole thing.

"You don't look so bad yourself," she murmured, winking at him, "but you promised to take me furniture shopping."

"That I did," he announced, suddenly lifting her up and setting her on the counter in the kitchen, "b_ut_, I firmly intend on making you pay for everything I buy you now. Then we can go."

She opened her mouth to protest, but hastily shut it as he found the perfect pressure point on her neck, causing her to let out a small giggle, and place her hand at the back of his head, a soft moan urging him to continue.

Her slim legs locked around his waist, and she pulled his head up into a kiss. He tasted like toothpaste and smelled of a rich, spicy aftershave; God it was good. Draco pushed his hands under her coat, rubbing up her body until he found her chest. When she noticed he was beginning to unbutton the small white buttons of her shirt, she finally took his hands off her, "Draco."

"What?" he asked innocently, smirking at her, "Can't blame me for trying..."

Hermione released a sigh and unlatched her legs from his hips, then slid off the counter, giving him a sharp kiss on the way down, "C'mon you cheeky bugger... I want to get to the shops before everyone comes out."

The usual rush, even in Knockturn Alley, began at around eleven, and it was ten-thirty when Hermione last checked her wristwatch. During the rush hour, the streets were normally filled with rich women doing the only thing that occupied them, or busy servants doing their master's bidding. It was only at night did Hermione see many men in the Alley.

"Okay, okay, let's go then," he grumbled, taking her hand and leading her out of her flat, waiting for her to lock the door. Her keys jingled loudly, and they made light conversation about why she needed so many, and so on and so forth. She found conversation needn't be forced with Draco. Even as they walked the slowly filling streets, she noticed she didn't need to try to talk. If they were in silence, he seemed perfectly happy to hold her hand, or waist, and walk in silence.

They made several stops that morning. Draco took her to all of the most expensive shops in Diagon Alley, picking out some of the fancy leather couches she had always wanted for her. There was, of course, a protest from her point, but he said she could make it up to him by letting him take her out for dinner sometime soon. She couldn't understand how that would make it up to him, but when she agreed, he bought her a new bookcase made of the finest mahogany wood in the Alley.

When they had replaced nearly all the furniture in her flat, they spent the rest of the morning walking about Knockturn Alley. It wasn't half bad anymore, since nearly all the Alleys looked the same once Voldemort had taken control. She almost liked Knockturn; it had a sense of safety in it that was never there before.

Draco paused at one of the store windows, gazing down at the books inside. The novels had no interest to Hermione, and she gingerly released his hand, their fingertips holding for as long as they could until she had lost contact. There were more interesting books down the window anyway. She squinted, peering through the glass, and something flashed across in the inside. Frowning, Hermione looked up, and her eyes widened when they met familiar green ones.

Harry!

Suddenly, she remembered she was walking with a Death Eater, and Draco could easily report Harry in to Voldemort. She shook her head, silently ordering him to stay inside, but he was already on his way out.

"Hermione!" he greeted, a dark hood pulled up to conceal his face, "Gods, I've been trying to find you everywhere!"

Hermione noticed Draco stiffen considerably in the window's reflection, and she smiled, "H-Hi, Harry."

He wrapped his arms around her, and she sunk into the feeling of security he had always brought her.

"_Potter_?"

Harry released her instantly, and Hermione began to panic. She whipped back to Draco, "Draco, please-"

"Malfoy?" Harry snarled, reaching for his wand, "So it's true... Fred and George told me, but I couldn't believe it!"

"Please, don't shout," Hermione ordered meekly, trying to take some charge of the situation. "Harry-"

"I could be made a hero with the Dark Lord if I turned you in, Potter," Draco snapped. "There's been rumours that you're dead amongst the ranks... Imagine what he would say if I found you."

No, no this wasn't happening. She couldn't defend either side. Hermione felt her control slipping away, and she quickly stepped between the wizards and their wands, "Look. We're not doing this."

"How could you be with him, Hermione?" Harry inquired, sadness evident in his voice, "After everything he's done to us... After what he's done to you? Didn't school affect you at all?"

"I... Things are different now!"

"Oh, let the past go, Potter," Draco hissed, his eyes narrowing. "Let's go, Hermione."

"What, no Mudblood comments anymore?" Harry demanded, placing a gentle hand on her arm, "What've you done to her? I swear, if you've hurt-"

"Harry, please!" Hermione cried, feeling her frustration start to well, "Draco hasn't done anything to me, and he wouldn't hurt me."

She had Fred and George to kill him if he ever hurt her. That thought always made her smile.

"Hermione is with me because she wants to be," Draco growled, taking a step closer and grasping her arm forcefully. "She likes my company."

"Don't be stupid," Harry exploded, tugging her back toward him. "She hates you. She loathes you completely... Merlin, Malfoy, you used to make her cry. How could she just forget that?"

Hermione glared up at Harry. He had walked in on her once, sobbing, and when she finally got down to it, she just couldn't take the Slytherins tormenting her in Advanced Potions after he and Ron had dropped out.

"That's in the past," Draco ground out, "but keep the argument going... I'll happily report you."

"Harry, please, I'm begging you," she whispered. "Get my address from Fred and George and come see me later."

"I'm not leaving you with him-"

"Harry!" her voice came out strained and near to a sob. She didn't want to sound weak, but it was just so difficult. Why was he here? Why hadn't anyone told her? This entire situation could have been avoided!

"I'll find you soon," Harry whispered, sending Draco a glare before apparating out of sight.

She let out a groan, rubbing her hands over her face, then turned back to Draco, "You can't tell anyone."

"And why not?" he demanded, "I'd be tried for treason if people knew I knew."

"I'm begging you, Draco, please," she pleaded, clasping her hands around his and moving in close, resting her head on his chest. "Please... Please, don't tell."

Thankfully this section was one of the oldest of the Alleys, and there were very few, if any, people wandering around.

"Hermione... I... I can't just pretend I didn't see him," Draco whispered into the top of her head. "I need to do something."

"Make an anonymous report that he was spotted somewhere in London," she breathed, looking up at him through screaming hazel eyes. "Draco, he's my best friend... I... I can't lose him."

"He's gone though-"

"But he'll be killed if he's found, and you know it," she argued, "I can't lose another friend... I won't be able to handle that."

She heard him let out a deep sigh, then tilted her head up, his blue eyes peering into her own, "I'll keep it quiet, for now. But if I see him again, Hermione, I will tell."

"Fair enough," she murmured sadly, leaning up and giving him a quick kiss.


	28. Where attention is due

"Right, I want two scrolls on the effects of wolfsbane in the recent years, and make a comparison to how it was used in the fifteenth century," Snape droned, flicking his wand at his own blackboard, causing the homework he had just assigned to appear upon it. The groans, all three unhappy, made him grin, "and if it's late, I'm sure I can arrange a detention for you to do around the house... My house elves need a few gardening hands."

His three favourite students grumbled threatening words under their breath, and bid him farewell as they all squished into the fireplace, clearly eager to get home and escape his lesson.

He had to agree; it had been a bloody long day. Everything just sort of dragged by, and thankfully he only needed to teach two days out of the week. The rest of the time he could see Eloise, Shane and Kevin on a friendlier scale.

Exhausted, Snape quickly put away his teaching items into the storage, then decided he would make one of the house elves see to the mess the teenagers had made in the cauldrons. For now, all he wanted to do was to get something to drink and put his feet up for a while.

He made his way out of the lower levels of his manor, then into his study, slumping down in his favourite chair and staring out at the October evening, his tree line ablaze with colour. The sun would be setting in an hour or so, but for now, the sky held a mystical glow, one which he wished he could share with his wife.

Speaking of Ginny...

"Uncle Severus! Look at my new sweater!" Annie squealed loudly, racing into the room and modeling it for him, the black, zip up jacket causing her blonde hair to stand out.

Snape grinned, "Lovely. Did you have a good day shopping?"

"Uh huh," she prattled, nodding her head. "We went and got ice cream and saw kittens at the pet store and ... and..."

"And we did a little bit of shopping, charging everything to Daddy's account, right?" Ginny laughed as she entered the room, her lengthy red hair bundled up at the back of her head, "Draco'll kill me, but Annie and I decided to let her play the youngest daughter card and suck up to him."

"I'm good at that," Annie giggled, rocking back and forth on her heels.

Snape noticed a rather devilish glint in her eye, causing him to raise an eyebrow, "I'm sure you are... Just like your grandmother."

"What?"

He pursed his lips at her tone, but continued, "Your grandmother can get your grandfather to do anything she wants..."

"That's what happens in a marriage," Ginny chuckled, running her hand through Annie's hair for a moment. "Now do you want to stay here with Uncle Severus while I get dinner ordered, or do you want to see your room?"

"Uncle Severus can show me my room!"

What? She was leaving him alone with Annie? Snape's eyes darted up to Ginny's and she grinned, "I'll meet you upstairs... You did remember to prepare a room, right?"

"Yes," Snape lied smoothly, glaring at her. "Why would I forget?"

"Just asking," Ginny replied nonchalantly. "So you remember it's the one down the hall to ours?"

"Yes," he answered through gritted teeth, annoyed with the look both his wife and Annie were giving him; one of total and utter amusement. He sighed, "What?"

"My room's on the first floor, silly," Annie giggled, grasping his hand. "C'mon, I'll show you... Me 'n Auntie Ginny made it up this afternoon."

"Ah... I thought you went shopping this afternoon."

Merlin, two women in the household. Well, two girls, to say the least.

"Among many things," Ginny drawled softly, giving him a quick kiss as Annie led him out of the room. More like dragged, on the small girl's part, but that didn't matter. He regained quick control of the situation, and slowed his forced march into a relaxed stroll, despite that fact that Annie was still tugging on his hand.

"Is there a reason we are running to your room?" he inquired, releasing a soft sigh, "I'm an old man, Annie, I need to walk slow."

"I figured you could use some exercise," she commented cheekily, "and I know you're old."

Why that insolent little snot... She just agreed that he was old, and on top of that called him fat!

He ground his teeth together, constantly reminding himself that she was only a five year old, and most likely didn't know any better. But, he would have thought Draco had seen to educating her on how to behave with adults.

Mind you, he did remember several times in which Draco muttered something about Snape being a wrinkly old man, even though he hadn't hit thirty yet, then the boy was in his terrible younger stages.

Actually, now that he thought about it, Annie reminded him a lot of Draco when he was five; whiny, and usually getting their way.

"So was today fun?" he inquired out of habit, "What else did you buy?"

"Auntie Ginny only let me buy the sweater," Annie pouted, rolling her eyes dramatically. "She said we shouldn't spend too much."

Ah, his modest, humble wife, how he loved her. Snape pushed the door open to the room Annie was pulling him toward and she hurled herself in, lunging for the double bed Ginny had insisted on buying. Perhaps she wasn't too modest after all.

"My bed isn't even this big at home!" Annie giggled, bouncing up and down on her bottom, her blonde hair swaying around her face, "So wha'd you do all day, Uncle Severus?"

"I taught," he replied casually. "Your brothers acted up, and I got to yell at them... Not a bad day, I suppose."

"Do you like yelling at your students?" she asked, completely horrified, her eyes wide and all.

Snape grinned, shaking his head, "Annie, Annie... If students act up in class, you need to put them in their place, or they will continue to act up."

Ah, countless years of teaching those dunderheads at Hogwarts had taught him that. There was always going to be the little snot-nosed brat of the grade, and Snape learned that it could take him around five or six minutes to break the child's spirit, maybe eight if he was having an off day.

"I think you should be nice to your students," Annie commented, resting her clasped hands together on her lap in a mock form of dignity.

Severus cocked an eyebrow, "Oh? And why is that?"

"That way they'll be nice to you."

"Why would I want that?"

"So they don't act up in class!"

"Children will always act up in class," he argued, annoyed that she had some logic. "You don't know what it's like to be a teenager... Soon you'll love to talk back to your father."

"I do that anyway," she stated firmly, almost in a snooty tone, "but Daddy loves me too much to yell at me."

"Daddy is too wrapped around your little finger-"

"What?"

"Nothing, I was just muttering to myself," he said quickly, shooting her a grin. Now that he really thought about it, she was quite a smart little witch. She could manipulate most of the males around her, while maintaining to the women that she was as sweet as could be.

Very clever indeed.

"Have you ever tried magic, Annie?" he asked gingerly, taking a seat beside her on the bed. She shook her head, "I asked Mummy once... But she said I was too little."

Well, she was only five, "Ah, I see. Well... Would you like to try some now? Maybe we could learn a few easy spells to impress your father with?"

"Could we?" she asked excitedly, her blue eyes nearly exploding with excitement, "Are we going to use your wand?"

"Er... Yes," he replied, removing it from his pocket, "I suppose you'll have to, seeing as you don't have one of your own."

"S'not fair," she grumbled, watching his wand greedily. "I can look after one if they'd give me one."

"I'm sure you could," he sniped sarcastically, hesitating to give her the wand. "Let's just try a basic levitation spell to begin with-"

"Severus Snape!"

Gods, he nearly jumped out of his skin there. His eyes darted up to the doorway, in which he spotted his rather irate wife, her hands planted on her hips, "Oh, hello darling-"

"Don't 'darling' me," she snapped, crossing the room and glaring at him. "Were you about to let her do magic?"

"Well-"

"He was!" Annie butt in, sliding off the bed and standing beside his knee, "We were going to move stuff!"

"She is too young to handle a wand, and you know that," Ginny snarled softly, holding her hand out for Annie. "Come on, Annie... I think I'll show you around the manor... The ducks have all flown into the pond in the backyard."

"Really?" the little girl squealed, a brilliant smile spreading across her face, "C'mon, let's go then! They may fly away soon!"

Ginny sent him another foul look before departing with Annie. Oh, he would definitely hear about this later.

* * *

Kevin wrinkled his face in frustration, squinting to see how he could somehow get this last bit of wood onto the hull of the ship without getting glue all over his fingers.

After he had returned from his day at Snape's, he was extremely annoyed and in a foul mood. Not only was he stuck with more homework then he could handle, he completely failed almost everything Snape had assigned him. Sensing his displeasure, Lucius asked if he would like to come up to the attic and work on a ship model, as he had a few to spare.

He was actually thankful Lucius had invited him upstairs, since he was sure that he and Shane would start beating each other, as they were both in sour moods, and could get on each other's nerves very easily. He was actually a little shocked that his new Grandfather worked on his small ship without magic, seeming quite content to just roll up his sleeves and work on his little model.

"I find looking at it from a different angle can sometimes help," Lucius commented as Kevin grew more and more agitated that he could not fit that one little piece on. Frowning, he turned the ship around and attacked it from another angle, grinning triumphantly when he finally slotted the wood into place. This was sort of soothing, after all.

"Kevin," Lucius said sharply, causing the young teen to look up. "Tell me about your mother."

His grandfather's head was still bowed, his forehead knitted together in concentration, and Kevin stared at him in shock, "My mother, sir?"

"Yes..." Lucius replied casually, "We never really got to know each other... I'm curious about her."

He shifted awkwardly and stuffed his hands into his pockets, "Well what do you want to know?"

"Anything really. What do you remember the most?"

What did he remember? Kevin had been thinking about his mother ever since she dropped them off at the Malfoys, but for some reason, at that moment, nothing came to mind.

He cleared his throat, "She used to yell at me when I played on the computer for too long... She said I'd ruin my eyes more than they already are."

"She was probably right..." Lucius muttered, nicking his finger on a sharp edge and inhaling sharply. "Mind you... I don't think this is any better for one's health. What else?"

Kevin racked his brains, "She had a huge family, but always felt depressed at Christmas because our aunts and uncles could afford proper presents for us, and she couldn't."

"Dear me."

What the point of this? Was he trying to point out what a bad parent Kevin's mother seemed to be? She wasn't!

"She used to take us to the park a lot when we were little," Kevin continued, "and she'd buy us ice cream... And all three of us used to sit on the swings, and she'd somehow push all three of us at once... Well, Shane got too old and too 'cool' to let her push him, but she used to push me and Loo all the time."

"Eloise and I," he corrected. "She sounds like a good mother, despite her flaws."

"I never saw any flaws," Kevin snapped, causing Lucius to glance up at him. "She did everything she could with the situation she was in. She worked a lot... We spent a lot of time with Aunt Hermione when they needed mum at the Ministry."

"And how did that make you feel?"

Kevin paused momentarily, thinking, "I suppose a little left out... I didn't really get what was happening until I was a little older..."

"Things are always so much easier when you're younger, aren't they?"

Merlin, they were. Kevin remembered when he was younger the biggest thing he ever stressed over was whether or not he had behaved enough that day to get desert, or if Shane would let him come on a hike through the back properties with him and his friends. But now? Now it was so much more complex. He needed to focus on schooling if he ever wanted to get anywhere in his life, and no just cast as a mindless worker for the Dark Lord, as so many boys older than him had been.

"I kinda want to be small again," Kevin muttered sheepishly, pushing his half-completed boat around his work station with his finger. "It was so easy."

"Ah, but time continues to pass, doesn't it?" Lucius chuckled, standing back to admire his boat, "There's nothing you can do but move on."

They stood in silence for a moment, until, "Why did you ask about my mother? Honestly?"

"I was curious to see what you actually thought of her," he remarked truthfully, his eyes dead on Kevin's face, "and you saw her as I saw her, a good person in a bad time."

Kevin was ready to comment back, but a house elf appeared at the door to the attic and informed the pair that dinner was ready. With that, Lucius swept out of the room, Kevin at his heels, and they moved in complete silence until they reached the dining hall, joining up with the rest of the family.

"Were you two seriously building ships up there?" Shane mumbled as Kevin slid into the chair beside him and across from Eloise.

Kevin glanced at his brother, then shrugged, "Yeah, why?"

"Sounds boring."

"So does Flooing some girl for ten hours straight."

"Fuck off."

"Say it a little louder so the rest of the class can hear you," Kevin snarled under his breath, pulling the massive spoon out of the mashed potatoes bowl and slopping some on, "I dare you."

"Again... Fuck off."

His slightly good mood had once again been squashed by his brother, and he continued to pick at his plate of mashed potatoes in silence, stewing over the fact that

Shane actually _had_ a girl to Floo with for most of night.

"So how was school today?" his father inquired, "Annie's at Uncle Sev's for the night, right?"

"Yes, we sent her over this morning, remember?" Eloise droned, rolling her eyes to herself.

Lucius raised an eyebrow, "Watch your tone, Eloise."

"I don't have a tone!"

"Yes, yes you do..."

"Yeah, well I didn't say anything-"

"It's not what you said, it's how you said it," Lucius finished tightly, earning him a look from his wife. Lucius had been in such a fickle mood lately, and no one really understood why. Well, none of the teenagers in the house understood why, to say the least.

"School was boring," Eloise continued, opting out of the mashed potatoes for some steamed broccoli. "Kev bombed on everything Snape graded for him though."

"Shut up!" Kevin hissed, kicking her leg under the table, which earned a sharp cry of pain, an overdramatic one, from his sister.

His father's eyes were on him instantly, "Apologize."

"But-"

"Now."

"Sorry, Loo."

"Idiot," Shane chuckled under his breath, taking a sip of his water innocently. Why were they all ganging up on him lately?

"Can someone please explain what... bombed... means?" his Grandmother asked finally, her forehead only slightly creased.

Shane cleared his throat, obviously happy to answer, "Means he failed."

"Like you constantly do, oh shocker," Kevin scoffed, glaring at his brother.

Shane turned back on him sharply, "Oh, grow up you-"

"Enough!" their father barked, causing both boys to look up at him, "Enough... I won't take stupid bickering at the table. _Both_ of you grow up and deal with it later."

The rest of the meal was eaten with tension, although slightly broken when his father opened up the topic of Quidditch game tickets for the Cannons upcoming game in a few weeks. For a moment he and Shane actually bonded, then remembered they were angry with each other - reasons unknown - and ate the rest of their meal in horrible moods.

Once everyone had finished, Lucius and Narcissa flitted off to have some tea in some study, Eloise was off doing homework in her room, and Shane always ventured upstairs to do something or another, probably Floo that girl again. Good, he wanted to talk to his Dad anyway. For some reason, that whole week had him feeling down. Both his older siblings had another person to talk to, one of the opposite sex, whenever they weren't feeling content with life. Sure, he had his friends, but they would most likely laugh in his face if admitted to feeling depressed or unhappy with anything.

He just needed to talk to Draco for a little while, even ten minutes.

"Hey, Dad?" he called, following the direction Draco had gone only moments earlier, "Can I talk to you?"

Draco emerged from a closet, a broom in hand and a jacket thrown on. He smiled, then ruffled Kevin's hair, "Sure, mate, but I promised Shane we'd go flying... I just want to see if anything's bothering him."

"Oh... Sure. Yeah, that's fine," Kevin muttered, stuffing his hands back into his pockets. "Have fun."

"Thanks," Draco grunted, zipping up his jacket. "C'mon, Shane... Let's go before it get too cold!"

"I'm coming!" Shane shouted, hurrying down the stairs past Kevin, his broom in hand, and following Draco outside.

As the back door slammed loudly, Kevin let out a sigh, "Have fun."

* * *

Hermione paced nervously in her flat, wringing her hands together as she glanced at the clock every so often. She hadn't been able to get back to sleep since she woke up at nearly four that morning, and was feeling somewhat tired, yet alert.

Harry was supposed to meet her at nine-thirty so they could finally discuss, properly, what he was doing in England. She had been a nervous wreck since she last saw him, and spent a great deal of her night worrying about him being discovered and arrested. The more rational portion of her mind had to constantly remind her that he was a smart young man, and had gotten himself out of difficult situations before with little to no difficulty at all.

There was an abrupt knock on the door, causing Hermione to jump; he was early by almost ten minutes. After quickly debating whether or not she should seem composed or frazzled, she went for an approach that was somewhere in the middle, and rushed over to the door, opening it swiftly, "Harry, you're earl-"

"Not quite," Draco stated, cutting her off. "Morning."

Hermione let out a puff of air, one she had not realized she had been keeping in, then smile, "Morning... Come in."

She stepped aside, allowing Draco to sweep into the room, the small grin he had on his face a moment ago slowly disappearing, "So you're expecting Potter then?"

"Yes," she sighed, running a hand through her loose hair. "He... We... I just want to know what he's doing here."

"Fair enough, I suppose," Draco muttered, turning back to face her, his hands in his pocket. "When's he coming?"

"Five minutes or so," she replied awkwardly, glancing at the clock for an excuse to avoid his gaze. "So, um... I appreciate you coming over, but I know you don't get on with him-"

He snorted loudly, "A bit of an understatement there, Hermione."

She shot him a look, which he returned with a cheeky smile, "I just came over to see if you had eaten anything yet... I would have taken you out..."

"That's very sweet," she remarked, trying to allow her tension to slip away, "but I can't just leave and make Harry wait around here all day."

She noticed he had stiffened once again upon hearing her best friend's name, but she chose, this time, to not take it personally. With a bit of a sigh, "Look, Harry'll be here soon, and I don't want to be rude, but..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he grumbled, his eyes suddenly whipping up to the door when there was a knock at it, "I won't report him this time either... But next time, Hermione-"

"Thank you," she breathed, moving over to him quickly and giving him a swift peck. "It really does mean a lot to me."

He gave her a faint smile, then shot a glare back to the door when there was another knock. Hermione turned back, "Just a minute!"

She tried not to let Draco notice she had quickly fixed her hair in the mirror, then hurried over to the door, opening it a crack to reveal her smiling best friend, two cups of coffee clutched in his hands, his hood pulled over his head, "Morning."

"Hi." Hermione whispered, flinching when Draco suddenly pulled the door open completely, his hand planted on the small of her back. Harry's gaze hardened, and for a moment, Hermione was worried he would drop the coffee and reach for his wand.

"Well, well, Potter, still skulking around?" Draco chuckled, pulling Hermione back into him, "I'll pop 'round later to pick you up for dinner."

"Oh?" she inquired, then remembered she had accepted an invite to the Snape's tonight, "Oh, oh, right. Yes, bye then."

She almost wanted to just shove him out, since she had noticed Harry's hands gripped so tightly on the plastic cups that they were threatening to tear right through.  
When he wouldn't move, she looked up at Draco, and noticed he was making eye contact with Harry, then before she could stop him, he had leaned down and planted his lips firmly on hers. She let out a puff of air, shocked at his actions, and pushed her small hands against his chest, her cheeks flaming with embarrassment. Her eyes wide, she finally managed to shove him off, taking a little step back, "Bye then."

Hermione jumped when his hand came into sharp contact with her behind, and Draco grinned, "Pick you up around five or so..."

"Right."

"Bye, love."

"Bye."

She watched as he rammed his shoulder into Harry's as he passed him in the hall, both men with glares on their faces. Harry's knuckles were whitening from the grip he had been pushing onto the cardboard coffee cups, and suddenly thrust them out to her, "Take these while I go hex that gi-"

"No!" Hermione snarled, grasping his wrist and with all her strength dragging him inside, "No, get in here!"

When he was finally inside she slammed the door, then locked it, and snatched the cups out of his hands. Frustrated, she crossed to her open kitchen and began dumping the hot contents into two of her own mugs, then disposing of the cups Harry had brought them in. Meanwhile, she heard Harry rustling around her apartment, closing all the curtains, save one to keep her small flat lit up.

"I know you hate him," Hermione began, turning back to see he had taken a seat on her couch, his black cloak resting across his lap, "and obviously he doesn't really like you-"

"Obviously."

She sighed, asking for some patience, "But... Look, just... I'll keep him away from you, as long as you try to keep away when I'm around him. I don't want him to report you."

"Did you just not hear what came out of your mouth?" Harry inquired as Hermione made her way to him, "Look... He's dangerous, Hermione... I don't trust him, and neither should you."

She handed him his cup, and he toasted her in thanks, taking a small sip, "I mean... He nearly kills Dumbledore-"

"But he didn't-"

"Yeah, that was dear uncle," Harry added spitefully. "Then he runs into hiding like a bloody coward, only to come back out when it's safe."

"People do strange things during wars," Hermione remarked coldly. "May I remind you that many of the Order members fled the scene when Voldemort won..."

She trailed off, her eyes fixed on the floor, then shook her head, "Look, I don't want to talk about Draco Malfoy with you... I want to talk about you. Why are you here? You could be killed! I mean, if anyone caught wind of your very being in London, _London_ of all places, we'd have hordes of Voldemort's lugs pounding down doors the Muggle way just to find you, and-"

"Hermione," Harry chuckled, a placid smile gracing his usual handsome face. "Hermione, you really shouldn't worry about me so much."

Her jaw fell open slightly; how could she not worry about him? Her best friend was one of the most wanted men in England, and most likely Scotland, Wales and Ireland! Voldemort had spies out searching for him every single day, and she was surprised no one had discovered him yet! Shouldn't worry... Bah.

Hermione took another sip of coffee, then set her mug down on the small table in front of her, "Harry... What are you doing here? You know it isn't safe."

"Well... Dean's not been doing his job," Harry started, swirling his coffee mug slowly. "His reports are too different from Fred and George's to make any sense... And we haven't been getting any from you..."

"I've been a little busy trying to make sure I can afford to live in my flat, thank you very much," Hermione sniped. "A lot of places have fired me because I'm not pure."

It stung quite a bit to continuously hear her employer had to let her go because of her family background, but so far Draco had managed to keep her working, if she would ever go back to work in his office that is.

"I know, times are tough, I get it," he agreed. "McGonagall keeps getting sick, and Remus can't keep a job if he keeps going through... You know."

"Doesn't he still take the Potion?"

"We can't order in the ingredients from anywhere... And we can't grow them, or find them, up in Scotland... It's too cold."

"Oh, gosh."

"Ron's doing pretty well," he continued, Hermione's ears perking up at her former crush's name. "He and Luna found a small house out in the country... It's a bit cramped with the kids, but they get by."

"Oh," she managed, her mouth dry as her heart was plucked with jealousy. "They have kids?"

"Yeah... Two. A boy and a girl... Cute little things."

"How... nice," Hermione managed to get out, a fake smile barely touching her lips. "I'm sure they're happy."

"As can be expected with, you know, living in hiding."

"Oh, yes, of course."

She didn't really have feelings for Ron anymore, but she wished that she was the one married with children, not him. But, her feelings could not let her stay mad at her friend, and sadly wished him all the good fortune she could.

"That still doesn't explain why you're here," she stated after a moment or so of silence. "It's dangerous, Harry. It may not seem it, but there are so many things happening behind closed doors."

"Like that's never happened with our politics before," Harry snorted, rolling his eyes. "I'm sure Voldemort is running things into the ground."

Hermione paused for a moment, trying to think logically. Society was _actually_ functioning under Voldemort's rule. They had not sunken into debt, a lot of people had jobs and were living comfortable lives. Most people anyway. There weren't any public torturing, and there were no curfews, as had been threatened in the beginning all those years ago.

She cleared her throat, "It could be worse?"

"Could be worse?" Harry repeated, raising his eyebrows, "Hermione, Voldemort-"

"Is in total control, I know," she hissed, "but look... Harry, we don't have enough members of the Order left that are in good health to make some sort of rebellion... We need more people. So for now, all we can do is sit and allow things to happen."

Harry relaxed into the couch, a placid smile on his face, "Oh come on, Hermione... Do you think I'd travel in the dirt all the way down from Scotland if I was just going to sit back and let things happen?"

* * *

"Dad! Relax! You had no fucking issues with it-"

"I will _not_ tolerate that sort of language coming from you, Eloise!"

"Fine! Whatever... You didn't care when I went out with him before, why are you making a bigger deal out of it now?"

"I _did _care!"

Kevin rolled his eyes and slammed his Potions textbook shut, still listening to his sister and his father scream at each other over Eloise's date that evening with Will.

"Yeah, well, I don't see what the big deal is!"

"We are going to dinner at the Snapes, all of us!"

"I don't think anyone will freakin' care if I'm not there for one dinner!"

"It would be rude!"

"They won't care!"

"Eloise Malfoy, you will _not_ argue this with me..."

"Why, because what you say goes?"

"Exactly!"

"You're so full of it."

"How dare you-"

"Bugger off, Dad."

"Don't you walk away from me!"

"Oh, too late, already doing it!"

"Eloise!"

Kevin rose from his seat in one of the numerous first floor work rooms and gathered up his homework, deciding he just wasn't focused enough that day to do any of it properly. With arms full of papers and books, he slowly made his way toward the staircase, his spirits lifting when he spotted Lucius lazily strolling down them.

"Grandfather?" he called, picking up his pace to meet him at the bottom, "D'you wanna do some building today? Homework is getting a little boring."

"I would, but another day," Lucius replied, walking past Kevin and retrieving his cloak from the closet near the front door. "I'm just on my way out to take your Grandmother for some lunch."

"Oh..." Kevin sighed, shooting him a small smile, "Yeah, sure, that's fine. Have fun."

"Thank you."

The teen continued upstairs, chucking his books into his room, then cringing when they missed his bed and were flung out all over the floor. Groaning, he simply shut the door, making a mental note to pick them up later. Perhaps Shane would be up for a quick game of Quidditch, or maybe just a fly around the property.

They weren't really mad at each other anymore, as their anger usually dissolved overnight, unless they had a huge argument, and in that case, it could take days for them to be content with each other again.

"Eh, Shane?" Kevin called, pushing his door open, "Want to... Shane?"

The room was empty, and he noticed a note tacked up on the back of the door.

_Gone to study with Sawyer - be back at four._

Oh, of course. "Study" was definitely Shane's main reason for going over to her house. As Kevin brooded over the very idea, he again wished he had a girlfriend to go visit on days like these. Days when he really had nothing better to do, other than play computer games or do homework.

"Hey Loo?" he called, poking his head into her room.

She stood, fuming, at her desk, "Get out of my room!"

"I'm not technically in your room yet-"

"Get the fuck out!"

Before he could argue back, she flicked her wand at the door and it slammed in his face, knocking into his nose slightly. He grumbled something softly under his breath, then decided to get a snack from the kitchens. Perhaps the house elves would make him a nice snack, something they usually did when he went to visit them.

However, as he rounded a corner on his venture to the kitchens, he slammed into his father, who did not seem to be in any better mood then his sister.

"Watch where you're bloody walking, Kevin," Draco snapped, shooting him a glare. "Nearly ran me over."

"Sorry, Dad."

"Yeah, yeah."

He watched as Draco stormed upstairs, then heard as his father began pounding on Eloise's door, "Open up, young lady! We are _not_ finished with our discussion yet!"

Kevin stood motionless for a moment, then crossed the foyer swiftly, snatching his cloak out of the closet and puling on a pair of his shoes. With a depressed sigh, he grabbed a handful of Floo Powder from the small container next to the first floor central fireplace, then stepped inside. No one would notice if he was gone, anyway. He raised his fist, murmured a name under his breath, then threw the handful at his feet, instantly becoming engulfed in green flames.


	29. From Bad to Worse

Kevin stumbled out of the fireplace in the dingy office, mumbling apologetically to the workers he had just bumped into. The first place that came to his mind to visit, naturally, was his aunt's home, but since she did not have a working fireplace that was open to the Floo network, Kevin was forced to go elsewhere.

There was a small office, just down the road from Hermione's apartment, which the new Ministry had given to writers that worked for the Prophet before Voldemort came into power. They mainly did the research for things, and when Kevin searched hard enough, he usually found their articles small and in the corners of the paper, sometimes even scrolled along the side. He usually came into this office when he wanted to see Hermione, though it was not often, the staff seemed to know him well enough, and did not make a huge fuss whenever he wandered through.

Once he was out on the busy street, he let his feet lead him along a familiar path, as though they had a mind of their own. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, then let out a sigh, his breath blowing out heatedly in front of him. The air was starting to get crisper by the day, and soon he would need more than just a light cloak to keep him warm.

The doorman who was usually standing at the front was no longer there, so Kevin let himself in to his aunt's building. Had the man been fired? Wouldn't have been the first time in this building. According to Hermione, the laundry woman and maintenance man had both been fired in the past few months because they could no longer afford to be paid. Where did they all go?

The unemployment office, the last time Kevin had checked, had gotten changed into a cafe. So did these people just wander around aimlessly now? They still needed to put food on their tables!

Kevin was slightly out of breath when he reached his aunt's floor, but he had composed himself by the time he found her flat. He banged his fist unceremoniously against the solid wood, then stepped back and waited, finally calling, "Aunt Hermione?"

There was some rustling in the apartment, and it took her a few moments, but she finally opened the door, just a crack, her head sticking out, "Kevin? Oh, in Merlin's name, you scared the life out of us... Get in here, you."

She opened the door fully and ushered him in, a gentle hand resting on his shoulder.

Ahh, the old flat. Kevin always loved this place, no matter how small and dingy it was. The cat resting on the window pane, the pot of tea brewing in the open kitchen... The man sitting on his aunt's couch.

Wait. Man?

"Oh, Kevin, this is my best friend in the entire world, Harry," Hermione laughed, motioning to the dark haired man, a smile on her face. "He was just on his way out. Oh, and Harry, this is Kevin Malfoy."

"One of his kids, eh?" Harry chuckled, rising and extending his hand for Kevin to shake, "Don't look a thing like your father."

"Sometimes that's a good thing," Kevin muttered. "Nice to meet you."

Harry... Harry... Where had he heard that name before? There was Harry Potter, obviously, but had he really been friends with his aunt?

Kevin watched as Harry threw a thick, black cloak over himself and pulled up the hood, masking his face over, "I'll be in touch, okay Hermione?"

"Don't do anything stupid," she sighed, folding her hands together in front of her. "Don't get hurt."

"I promise... I'll be back soon," he informed her, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before gliding out of the flat, his cloak trailing noiselessly behind him.

"Was that... Harry Potter?" Kevin inquired quickly, dying to soothe his own curiosity.

His aunt paled, and she forced a grin, "It... It was, but you need to promise you won't tell anyone. He's not allowed to be here."

"Then why was he?"

"Just wanted to see me, see how I was doing..." she explained, suddenly trailing off, "Why are you here?"

Kevin's eyes immediately glued themselves to the floor, and Hermione sighed, "Ah. I see. Well, let me make you some lunch... Sandwich okay?"

"Yeah-"

"Good."

She swept across her apartment, rustling about in the kitchen to fetch him a plate as Kevin took a seat at her on bar stools at the very small counter. He began to pick at his nails in the silence, until he finally muttered, "What good am I?"

He heard his aunt stop her actions, then look over her shoulder at him, a frown on her lips, "What do you mean?"

"Well..." Kevin fumbled for his words as he swiveled around in his chair, "I'm no good to my family... Loo is the smart one, Shane's good at sports... And everyone always likes Annie. I just don't... You know... fit."

"Oh... Kevin!" his aunt laughed as she stopped pulling something out of the fridge, "Everyone fits in somewhere!"

Yeah, of course they do. Pigs could fly, too. Kevin shifted on his chair, then exhaled slowly. He had hoped his aunt would understand his point of view, but apparently he had hoped for too much, "I guess."

"Don't sound so depressed," Hermione chuckled, slapping an arrangement of meats onto two slices of bread, "but you're allowed to, I suppose... You're the younger son, and almost like the middle child. I'm sure you feel like you've been getting looked over."

There we go, now she was understanding it.

"But it's been like that _all_ the time lately," Kevin explained, watching her back as she finished up his sandwich. "Dad only worries about Shane because Shane seems all moody and locked away whenever he didn't get enough sleep at night, and then he goes on to Loo and Will... And how they aren't allowed to go out and stuff... Then if I try to say something..."

He trailed off as his aunt set the sandwich down on the table, then took a seat beside him. She shook her head, "I see your point, Kevin... Your father doesn't have a right to focus on half of his children, just because he can."

"It's like all he wants to do is fight with Loo, or go flying with Shane!" he exclaimed, rolling his eyes and taking a large bite of his sandwich, unable to say anything else for a few moments as he chewed thickly.

"And what about you and Annie, what does your father do with you two?" Hermione inquired, getting up finally and pouring Kevin a glass of water, "Does he take you guys out, or go flying?"

"No... No, Annie is usually by herself, or with Loo and Grandmother," Kevin stated, frowning suddenly. "Didn't you notice that when you lived there?"

"I did... I just didn't really want to say anything," she admitted, handing him the glass and waiting until he had taken a sip. "I don't think it's right to give a parent advice on how to raise their child-"

"But it's dad!" Kevin argued, rolling his eyes as dramatically as he could, "He's been a parent for what... two months now? Maybe almost three? C'mon, Aunt Hermione... You can tell him off."

"Ah, yes, but shouldn't you tell him he isn't paying you enough attention?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kevin turned back to his sandwich, his voice suddenly going soft, "I don't want to."

How could a guy tell his dad that he didn't feel like people were paying him enough attention? Next thing he knew he would be putting on make-up and wondering if his butt looked big in his jeans.

"Oh, I get it," Hermione mused, crossing her arms. "It's that whole manly thing where you can't talk about your feelings, right?"

"Something along those lines," he muttered, taking another bite of his sandwich. "I just-"

"Don't talk with your mouth full... That's gross."

He swallowed, "Sorry. I just don't want dad thinking I'm a wuss or anything... I mean, he's all tough and-"

Hermione snorted loudly, then quickly stifled her giggles, "Sorry, love, it's just I recently went furniture shopping with him, and we talked about curtains for almost an hour. Most meaningful conversation about house things I've ever had with a man."

Kevin grinned for the first time all day, then finally smiled when Hermione laughed a little more. Finally he felt a little more at ease. See! All he needed was someone to talk to.

"Does anyone know you've come here?" Hermione asked after some time of pointless conversations about how everything else was going at home.

Kevin cleared his throat, "No... I kinda just... left."

Hermione let out a groan, "Kevin! They're going to be looking for you."

"I didn't think anyone would notice, really," he mumbled sheepishly. "So I just grabbed my coat and left."

Hermione glanced up at the clock and then at Kevin, asking him if he had showered that day. When he replied no, she ordered him to go get into her shower and clean up, then the two of them would go to the Snape Manor that evening together and she would explain where he had been. There. No harm done.

* * *

"What the fuck is wrong with teenage girls?" Draco snarled, filling up a glass of water in his kitchen, glaring out the window at his property. He had just spent the last hour or so battling it out with his eldest daughter about her date with her... boyfriend that evening, and they still hadn't gotten anywhere. At least, in his mind they hadn't made progress; she was still going on that date.

Bah, that's what she thought. He'd just stuff her into the fireplace, then send her off to Snape's house, then she would _have_ to stay for dinner. She could meet up with that damn Will later.

His ears were still ringing from her screaming. Since when did children _ever_ speak to their parents like that?

And why the bloody Hell didn't she get tired of yelling? Draco thought his voice was going to completely fail on him by the end of it and he would be forced to use signs to make his point.

Signs and a very thick quill.

Why did she have to make such a fuss anyway? It's not like this was the only time she could ever see him! If Hermione needed to reschedule a date because something came up, he was perfectly fine with that.

... Unless it was because of that damn Potter again. Draco wasn't exactly keen on snogging his girlfriend directly in front of someone, but the look of disgust and shock on Potter's face was just so wonderful that Draco had to milk it for all its worth. He thought the pinch on the arse was a nice touch.

He took a large gulp of his drink and finished off the glass, then set it in one of the numerous sinks, frowning suddenly. Why was the house so quiet? It hadn't been this silent since before all the children had moved in a couple of months ago. He exited the kitchen and took a stroll down one of the usual corridors, peaking in all of the rooms. Even Kevin's usual computers were off, and there was no one listening to whatever garbage they usually had playing in the background. Rock, indeed. He didn't see how that music had anything to do with stones.

Draco quickly made his way upstairs, ducking into Kevin's room and noticing he was gone, then checking in Shane's, who was also absent. Annie was at Snape's, and his parents had gone out for a luncheon almost two hours ago. So where were his boys?

"Eloise?" he asked tightly, opening her door and stepping into her room. She was seated where he had last seen her, on her bed, with her books spread out everywhere.

She glanced up, then glared, "What?"

"Don't take that tone with me," he snarled before he could stop himself. She rolled her eyes and went back to reading, giving him a moment to compose himself before asking, "Where are your brothers?"

"Shane went to Sawyer's to do some studying..." she droned, not looking up from her book, "He left a note."

"And Kevin?"

"I dunno... He was here the last time I noticed."

"Ah..." Draco intoned, leaving her be again and hurrying down the stairs, calling whatever house elf was in sight to tell him where Kevin was. However, all of the answers he received followed along the lines of his daughter; they had last seen him in the house.

He ordered them to check everywhere inside, and if they found him, report back to his whereabouts. He didn't really need to speak to his son, he just wanted to know where he was.

After several tense minutes of pacing in the front foyer, many of the house elves popped back in to inform him they couldn't find Kevin anywhere in the house.

And now the panic set it. Where the bloody Hell was his son?

Had his parents taken him out? Had he just run off? Gods, the last thing he had said to the boy was to get out of the way when they bumped into each other!

He rushed up the staircase once more, starting to feel slightly sweaty, and shoved open Eloise's door, "Kevin's gone."

Her head flew up and her eyebrows knitted together, "What?"

"He's not in the house, and no one has seen him for an hour or two..." Draco explained, "I want you to fetch Shane and the two of you can help me look for him."

"Okay... I'll just floo over to Sawyer's," she muttered, sliding off the bed quickly, "Where're you going?"

"I'm going to check with my parents," he explained, "They may have taken him for lunch and not told anyone."

She made a face, "Oh, come on, dad."

"Well... They might have!"

His subconscious mind agreed heavily with his daughter, but thinking Kevin was with his parents was his only hope that his son hadn't run off somewhere or gotten hurt and no one knew where he was.

Draco snatched his cloak out of the closet and hastily tugged on a pair of his black shoes, then grabbed his wand, focusing on the restaurant his father had mentioned before he took his mother out. In moments, he was standing at the door, and bustled inside, apologizing to the couple he had pushed through in order to find his parents.

"May I help you, sir?" the coat-check inquired, his tone strained, "There is a waiting list for a table-"

"I just need a quick word with one of your diners, actually," Draco snapped, causing the man to raise an eyebrow. "My parents, the Malfoys, are eating lunch here, and I'd like to see them, if that's all right with you."

"Oh, yes, Mr. Malfoy, of course. Go right along in-"

"Cheers."

Draco shoved past the man, ignoring the money hungry gleam in his eye, and scanned the rich crowd, trying to find his parents. Ah, yes, there they were - back by a window. How typical; it's almost as if his father needs to be looking outside whenever he eats. That would explain the massive windows in the dining hall.

"Draco..." his mother crooned when he was close enough, "What are you doing here? Is everything all right?"

"I... Well... "

"Spit it out, Draco," his father sneered. "We're in the middle of lunch."

Draco glared at his father. What was his problem lately? He had been in the worst of moods, and obviously his loss at the card games was just something to cement the foul behavior. Draco was almost tempted to tell him to suck it up and act like an adult, but now wasn't the time.

"Kevin's gone," he said finally, watching his mother's eyes widen, "and... I mean, no one has seen him around the manor, and no one remembers the last time he was there, and I couldn't find him anywhere. I had the house elves look, and you know how good they are, and they didn't find him, and then I thought he may have come here with you... But now I see due to the lack of a young Kevin at the table I can assume he isn't here and he's probably stranded on some road somewhere and it's my fault because I don't know where he is!"

"Draco, for Merlin's sake, lower your voice!" Lucius ordered, shooting a cold smile to the man who dared turn around in his seat to see why Draco was so frantic.

His mother threw her napkin, which had been resting upon her lap, up onto the table in a crumple and rose, "Well, we're going then."

"What?" his father hissed, his eyes darting between Draco and Narcissa, "Why?"

"My grandson is missing, Lucius," his mother ground, "and I want to know where he is, or I'll be thinking about it all day."

"But... Cissa, lunch... I had it specially ordered-"

"We can have lunch any day," his mother snapped, then turned to Draco. "Go home, get Eloise and Shane, your father will get the check, and then we'll all decide on how we should best find him."

"Right," Draco muttered, running a hand through his hair, which was slowly falling out of the leather hair restraint he had wound around it earlier that day, His father rose sharply, sent him a glare, then stormed off to find his waiter. Draco shot his mother a questioning look, "What's the matter with father?"

"Oh, he's just in a mood... I'll talk to him about it," she sighed, allowing Draco to help her with her cloak. "Go home, Draco, and check on the other two."

"Right... Right. See you in a few moments," Draco babbled before apparating back home.

He was instantly met by the voice of his other two children, especially the one of his eldest son.

"Where's Kev? Was he there?"

"Obviously not, Shane," Draco grumbled, prying his cloak out of the boy's hands, "Otherwise he'd be with me, but apparently he isn't."

"You know, Kevin likes being by himself sometimes," Eloise interjected, picking at a loose thread on her sweater. "He may just have gone for a walk, or something."

Moments after Draco arrived, his parents popped into the room, his mother looking calm, yet inside he knew she was frantic, while his father was, at best, annoyed.

"Okay, I don't need to lecture Kevin on wandering off... So if you find him and he doesn't feel like coming back home, either sit with him, or leave him," Draco ordered, deciding it would be best if he took some charge. "Right. Mother, I need you to organize the house elves and do another more thorough search of the house."

"Of course."

"Father?"

"_Yes_, son?"

Draco resisted the urge to snarl back at him, "Go and see if Kevin went to Snape's."

"Fine."

Git. He turned to his remaining children, "I want you two to get on the brooms and do a sweep of the property. We haven't checked there, and he may have just gone for a walk..."

"I doubt it... It's already freezing outside, and it's not even five yet," Shane informed him, nodding to the clock, which read four-thirty. "Kevin prefers the indoors on days like this, unless there's snow."

"Well... Look anyway," Draco repeated, "I'm going to Hermione's to see if he went there."

"That's actually a pretty good place to go, if he went anywhere," Eloise commented, tucking some hair behind her ears. "He likes to go see her."

Okay. Okay, he was going to find him. It shouldn't be that difficult.

Oh Gods.

* * *

Crookshanks lay purring on Hermione's lap as she skimmed over the day's paper, half listening to the sound of her 'nephew' taking a shower in her one and only bathroom. How long did he need to take? At the rate he was using the hot water, there wasn't going to be any flowing to her apartment for weeks.

She pitied Kevin more than anything. How could Draco not notice he wasn't giving his children equal attention? Yes, granted, it is rather difficult with four of them, but he needed to start making a bigger effort, or soon Annie would start to feel left out, just the same as her older brother.

The door flew open and Hermione leapt to her feet, much to her cat's displeasure. Crookshanks tumbled to the floor and let out a hiss, tearing off for the bedroom as Draco scrambled in, his hair nearly completely falling out of its holding. Hermione placed a hand on her chest, letting out a relieved breath of air, "Thank Merlin it was only you... Draco! You don't just go barging into people's houses!"

"I assumed we were past knocking," he fired back quickly. "Look, Kevin is-"

"He's here," she interrupted, watching as relief flooded his eyes at last. "He came this afternoon."

"Oh... Thank Merlin."

Draco crossed the room lazily, gave her a quick peck on the lips, then slumped down onto her couch, "I have the whole household out looking for him."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, not returning the smile he sent her, "Do you know why he came to see me, Draco?"

"No..." he replied cautiously, "but I'm guessing by the tone it was somehow my fault?"

"Draco!" she exclaimed, "He feels like you've been completely ignoring him! He left because he didn't think anyone would notice!"

"Oh, that's total bullocks, Hermione, you know-"

"No, Draco," she sighed, shaking her head, "I don't know. From what I've seen and heard... I think he's right."

She did not ever want to have this conversation with a person. To tell someone how to raise their children was like telling them how to brush their teeth properly; you just could never do it.

Draco shook his head and slowly got to his feet, "Do you think I would ever purposefully ignore my own son?"

"I don't think you would do it on purpose, no," she replied truthfully, not backing down, despite the fact he was towering over her. "You're a new parent, Draco, obviously you wouldn't notice this sort of thing because you've never had to deal with it before."

He stared at her for a moment, as if trying to figure out whether that was an insult or not, then drawled, "I look after my children just fine."

"Well, if one comes to me upset that he's being ignored by his father, then you still have a little bit of work to do."

"I don't think it's my fault that I missed him!" Draco exploded, "I've got four teenagers to deal with, Hermione-"

"Three," she corrected heatedly. "You've got three teenagers, and one young girl. Draco... There's no shame in admitting that you made a mistake. Parents are allowed to make them. We're just... human."

The tension was starting to build, and from that point on Hermione realized this was going to be an extremely rocky relationship. Both of them were stubborn, and they never backed out if they thought they were right.

"We? You speak like you've got mountains of parenting advice," he grumbled, rolling his eyes.

Hermione planted her hands on her hips, her eyes flashing dangerously, "Well, considering I spent quite a number of years helping raise _your_ children, I think I'm allowed to comment here."

"How many times is that going to get thrown in my face?"

"However many times you think you're allowed to be all haughty now that you've got your children!"

Her hand clamped down over her mouth as Draco looked at her in shock, and she quickly tried to make it right, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that, Draco-"

"I know... You're right though," Draco sighed, finally falling back down, defeated, onto the couch. "How am I supposed to know how all four children are feeling at the same time! I barely understand Eloise, let alone Shane and Kevin and Annie!"

Hermione gave him a small smile and took a seat next to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a hug, "That's why I'm here."

"Yeah, I suppose," he chuckled, curling his own arm around her waist thoughtfully. "Suppose if we have more fights like that though, you may not be around for long."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she snapped, untangling herself and glaring at him.

Draco exhaled deeply and rubbed the back of his neck, "I meant you'll get sick of it and leave me, Hermione."

"Oh. Well... I don't know. Fights happen."

"Yeah, but I'm worried they'll happen a lot with us... We're not exactly people who like to back down from an argument."

Hermione grinned and gave him another kiss on the cheek, resting her hand on his chest, "No, no we aren't. I'm sure I've warned you before."

He chuckled, his deep voice vibrating around the room, and Hermione couldn't help but laugh. Oh, Gods, this was going to be interesting.

"Dad?"

Draco was instantly on his feet, looking back at Kevin, who had _finally_ emerged from the shower, looking fresh and clean. Hermione wanted to tell them both what she thought of the entire situation, about how she completely disapproved of Kevin leaving without telling anyone, and about Draco not paying his son enough attention, but she kept her mouth firmly shut, deciding it would be best if they figured it out themselves.

"Bloody Hell, mate, we nearly turned the manor up looking for you," Draco sighed, walking around the couch and pulling Kevin into an awkward one armed hug, resting his head atop his son's, "Don't do it again, okay?"

"Sorry, dad."

"No... No, I'm sorry... I ... I just ... " Draco seemed at a loss for words, then finally got out, "I shouldn't have snapped at you earlier. I was just in a bad mood."

"Because of Loo."

"Yeah... Yeah, because of Eloise."

Hermione shook her head, watching the pair, then muttered, "Boys."

Draco shot her a look, then smirked, "What was that, love?"

"Nothing... Nothing, just talking to myself," she replied, returning his smirk, "and now that you're finally out of the shower, I can get in before dinner tonight."

"Didn't you already shower this morning?" Draco inquired, finally releasing Kevin, only slightly, and resting his arm around his son's shoulders.

Hermione shrugged, "I'm all... gross from today. I did a bit of cleaning while Kev was in the shower."

"Lovely..." Draco chuckled, rolling his eyes a tad, "I'll pop by to pick you up then?"

"No, no, I'll use Fred and George's floo after," she explained, then added, "I just want to stop in to see Katie and Angelina, won't take long."

"Right, shall we, young man?"

"Yeah... Let's go."

"Bye, love."

"Bye, Draco... Bye, Kev."

"See yeh tonight, aunt Hermione."

Hermione watched her two boys left, Draco shutting the door softly behind him, then looked around her empty apartment. She sort of liked having more people in it, but it was always nice to have her quiet time, her solitude. When she lived at the Malfoy Manor, it was difficult to ever really get some time alone. Sure, if she sat with Lucius, it wasn't as though they had meaningful conversations or anything, but just the mere presence of him being there meant she wasn't alone.

Once she had filled up Crookshanks' water dish, then added a scoop more of food in his bowl, she decided a quick jump in the shower, just to get her body feeling fresh again, was all she needed.

However, as she made her way towards the bathroom, there was another knock at the door. She glanced at the clock, then groaned; she was asked to come to the Snape Manor at six, and it was nearly quarter past five. Who would be dropping by now? Then she grinned; Draco was back then, eh? Cocky little bugger didn't even kiss her goodbye. Hermione let her grin grow, and as she hurried over to the door, she let out a giggle, "I was wondering when you'd come-"

She froze. Oh. Oh dear.

"Miss Hermione Granger?" a nameless Ministry official inquired, holding up his badge to her face to prove he had authority. Hermione swallowed thickly, her grin completely vanished, "Yes, that's me... What can I do for you... gentlemen?"

There were about four of them outside her door, each clad in the standardized black floor length robe, and long hair swept back out of their faces. She knew these ones.

These men were the ones the Ministry used for retrieval missions, the ones who went out to fetch dangerous criminals and haul them in for questioning. Everyone knew who they were by appearance alone, and whenever they patrolled the streets, no one dared to even go outside. They made a habit of fabricating crimes on the turn of a dime, just to see who they could bring in for torturing.

"We were wondering if we could have a little talk with you, inside preferably."

Before Hermione could answer, they pushed into her flat past her, their heavy boots tromping all over her clean floor noisily. She closed the door, her hands starting to shake, though her voice remained firm, "Have I done something wrong?"

"We'd only like to talk to you, that's all," one remarked gruffly. "Is this your flat?"

"Yes."

"How long have you lived in it?"

"Since _he_ took over," she snarled, folding her arms and eyeing the men. "What's going on?"

"Please, come and sit with us, like a civilized Mudblood," the tallest of the group chuckled, causing Hermione's temper to flare as he patted the couch. "Honestly, we only want to talk."

Oh, of course they _just_ wanted to talk. She remembered they said that to a man at a cafe, and before anyone knew what was happening, the man was forced into a fetal position on the ground as they bound and gagged him, then dragged him away.

Hermione moved tentatively to the center of the room, eyeing her wand resting on the table. If only she could get it...

"Someone reported that they saw a Mr. Harry Potter making his rounds in this Alley," a man informed her. "We have on record your closeness to Mr. Potter. Have you seen him?"

Hermione stared him directly in the eye, and replied, "No. I wasn't aware he was here."

"We have two of your friends in custody, Ms. Granger. A Mr. Fred and George Weasley were arrested earlier this morning after several witnesses reported Harry dwelling in their... shop. No has seen him-"

"Then how dare you make arrests!" Hermione shrieked, her eyes widening, "They're innocent-"

"Yes, we have heard that story from their wives, and when they refused to let us leave, we were forced to take them also into custody."

"Katie is pregnant..." Hermione ground out forcefully, "If you hurt her-"

"We're not up to discuss this, Ms. Granger," one hissed, "Have you seen him?"

"No."

"No?"

Oh, Gods, they had taken her Weasleys. Her closest allies and protectors! Hermione felt her heart quicken at the thought being utterly alone in Knockturn Alley.

"Harry wouldn't visit me, even if he did come," Hermione informed them, folding her arms across her chest, "He'd realize the danger he would put us all in."

"Get the Veritaserum."

Hermione gulped as one of them rustled into the large, black bag he was carrying, the sound of vials clinking together loudly. She steadied the weight between her body evenly, then raised her nose at them, "That's illegal."

"Not on suspects," the man chuckled. "Open up, girl."

If she wanted one chance, she needed to take it, and take it now. Hermione lunged for the gap between two of the men, drastically racing for her wand, but falling to the ground, stunned, before she could even get within a foot of it.


	30. Captive Love

Draco glanced at the clock hanging over a window in the Snape dining hall, then frowned; where the Devil was Hermione?

He and Kevin had arrived safely to the Snape Manor, and much to his content, Kevin was welcomed back home by his siblings heartily. He had a brief talk with his son that Kevin shouldn't feel as if no one is willing to talk to him, as it was a massive family, and someone would _always_ be there. The boy seemed a little hesitant to agree, but eventually muttered something along the lines of a thanks before they Flooed into Snape's home. However, now nearly an hour into waiting for Hermione to show up, everyone had agreed to start without her, and keep a plate of food warm for when she did finally arrive.

"Where d'you think Aunt Hermione is?" Eloise inquired as she helped herself to some more peas, "It's been like... an hour already-"

"Probably can't decide what to wear," Shane chuckled, rolling his eyes.

Eloise shot him a glare, "Since when has she ever cared about what she wore?"

"True..." Kevin mused, chewing thoughtfully on his mouthful. "All she said she needed to do was shower."

Draco's frown deepened, and he started to get worried. Had she backed out of dinner? Did the little spat they had mean more to her then he thought? Bah. Women.

"I could pop over and see what's keeping her?" Ginny suggested, dabbing the corners of her mouth with her napkin, "She's usually a punctual person..."

"Thanks, Gin," Draco muttered, shooting her a brief smile as she departed. The redhead vanished instantly, and Draco returned to his own musings, suddenly noticing his father still had the same sour expression on his face he had been carrying for almost a week now.

"My father was round earlier, looking for Kevin, right?" Draco murmured to Snape, taking a quick sip of water when his godfather nodded his head, "Well... Did he seem like he was in a foul mood?"

Snape paused for a moment, then studied Lucius long and hard, his eyes narrowing, "Yes, well... Now he seems to be in a fouler mood than normal. Has something happened?"

"Not that I know of," Draco grumbled, rolling his eyes as he pushed his mashed potatoes around his plate. "He just seems constantly angry with me lately... Has he said something?"

"Not to me, I'm afraid," Snape replied, raising his eyebrows. "Which is odd... Your father usually confides in me."

"I know... Do you think you could-"

"Yes, I'll see if I can get something out of him after dinner."

"Thanks."

Draco returned to his meal, barely aware of the conversation his mother was having with his children as they complained about some of the teachers at school. Draco actually knew most of the professors there, as many of them had worked with him during the war. He pitied his children; none of them were soft. None of them were a Flitwick or Trelawney. Annie tried to get a say in every once and a while, but she constantly seemed to be cut off by one of her older siblings, causing the little blonde to pout sourly.

Draco grinned, "So Annie, how was your stay with Uncle Severus?"

Her smile nearly lit up the room, and his mother stopped her conversations to listen to Annie prattle on about how much fun it was with Severus and Ginny, and that they played games and went shopping. Draco shot his godfather a look, and Snape rolled his eyes, muttering, "Ginny forced me to do it."

"Figured."

Draco's gaze moved across the table to his father, who still seemed to be a sour mood, though he was hiding it slightly with the small smile he sent Annie every time she spoke to him. What was his problem?

He was just about to ask his father is he was feeling up to scratch, when Ginny popped back noisily into the dining hall, a flustered look on her face, "Something's happened!"

She stumbled closer to the table, her breathing heavy, "I got into her flat and everything was torn up and tossed about... I didn't find her anywhere!"

Draco abruptly rose from his chair, "Did it look like she'd been robbed?"

"I guess..." Ginny replied, her eyes darting around the table of Malfoys, "I don't know where she is!"

Oh, Gods! Why did he leave her? He should have just waited at her flat, then they could have gone together and none of this would have happened!

Draco glanced at his father, "I need to go take a look-"

"Go on then," Lucius sneered. "Run along to the rescue, Draco."

Confused, he looked to his mother for some sort of silent explanation to his father's moodiness, but she shook her head slightly, obviously not knowing herself. Feeling slightly disgruntled, Draco rushed out of the room to grab his cloak, his mind leaving his father and staying stuck on his Hermione.

* * *

A silence settled over the dinner table once Dad had left heroically to go see what had happened to aunt Hermione, and I felt my chance to go on the date I had promised Will slowly slipping back into my grasp. It's not that I didn't care that my aunt had had her place robbed and she was missing, but I may as well go out and try to keep my mind off it. I know she's safe; she's a tough cookie.

"So... um..." I cleared my throat, finally breaking the silence. "I kinda had a date with my boyfriend tonight-" I noticed Lucius' eye twitch, "And Dad is off... So... I don't want to be rude-"

"Why are you here if you have a date?" Ginny inquired lightly, letting out a laugh, "Shouldn't you be on the date?"

"Tell that to my Dad," I sighed, setting my fork down, then turning to my grandmother. "Would you mind if I... You know?"

"It's not my place to say yes, Eloise," Grandmother sighed, helping herself to a sip of wine. "Lucius?"

Lucius' head snapped up from his meal, and he glared at me, his eyes narrowing, "Though it's terribly impolite-"

"I'm sorry-"

"You may leave. Your father sees it fit to run off during a meal, so I don't see why you shouldn't be allowed."

Geez, what the Hell crawled up his ass tonight? I didn't take a moment to question his kindness, and hurried away from the table, bidding goodnight to both Ginny and Uncle Snape before leaving the dining hall.

It's our second date tonight, and with Dad busy, we may be able to act like a proper couple. The very idea of it made me giddy, and as I snatched my coat from a rack and stepped into the fireplace, I couldn't help but smile.

Once I was back home, I noted Will should be apparating onto the property in about twenty minutes, which gave me a minimal amount of time to get changed out of my formal clothes into something a little more... teenage-ery.

I frowned as I made my way up the stairs, suddenly noticing the lack of house elves that usually greeted us whenever we came home. However, I was short on time, and decided not to press the issue by thinking too much. I had a date to get ready for!

After a few minutes of searching for clothes, it seemed as if my room had exploded. There were jeans thrown over here, and tops tossed over there. Dad always hates coming into my room after I've gotten changed, as he claims to not understand how one person could make such a huge mess. Apparently it boggles his mind... Which usually makes me happy. We do get on, me and Dad, but when it comes to Will... Well, it's like there's a war zone in this house. I personally don't understand how we could have fought about it for almost an hour today, but somehow we managed to.

It would have been nice to have Kevin there, as my little brother usually takes me side when it comes to me and Dad, and I was shocked to find out he had run off because he didn't feel as though we were paying him enough attention. He can get like that. I find Kevin is more emotional then Shane was at his age, but I suppose times are different, and so are the people.

A pair of low cut jeans, which were finally coming into style, and a green top, slightly off the shoulder, suited me. Although, I was forced to wear a belt in order to actually keep my jeans _on_ my hips. Stupid pants keep sliding off. Unfortunately, the belt also makes my hips look massive, more than usual anyway, so I was silently debating whether or not I should wear it.

It was slowly getting colder as the seasons changed from early autumn to late autumn, which meant I could no longer wear flimsy t-shirts that Will seemed to like whenever we met up during previous summers. Not that it really mattered... I could still at least _try_ and be hot in long sleeves.

After adding a little more make-up, other than my minimal mascara I had been wearing, I headed downstairs, pulling on my shoes happily. Will should be here soon! I can't wait!

I quickly checked my hair in the mirror, fluffing the straight blonde locks slightly. However, I noticed something in the reflection...

Holy fuck, it's a man! I whipped back and let out a scream as a man robed in black stepped out of the shadows, his wand raised at me, "Where's your father?"

"I... I... He's not here!" I stammered, my voice rather squeaky.

The man rolled his green eyes, his shaggy black hair falling across his face, "I gather that... Where is he?"

Then I noticed something; a lightning bolt on his forehead. Oh. My. God. It's Harry Potter!

He's a wanted criminal by the new Ministry, and has been ever since Voldemort came into power! I mean, I hardly doubt he's evil, considering who is teaching us at Hogwarts, but people have been known to be taken in for torturing for just speaking his name in a pleasant way!

At least, that's what I've been told.

"You... You're Harry Potter, aren't you?" I inquired shakily, glancing down at his wand, then back up to his face.

He stared at me for a moment, then replied, "Yes. Look, where's your father?"

"He's gone out to check on someone-"

"On Hermione?" Harry exploded, his eyes flashing, "If he's done anything to her... Do you know where she is?"

I felt my eyes watering and I took a step back as he shook his wand at me, "No! No! I don't know! He just... He just ran off when we found out she wasn't in her flat anymore!"

Harry released a small sigh, then lowered his wand, inching toward me, "Look, I didn't mean to shout..."

"Don't hurt me!" I begged, suddenly fearing for my life as he got closer. I've been raped before by a man in a black robe, I don't need it to happen again.

Harry froze, his lean body stiffening as he straightened up, "I'm not going to hurt you... I just... My three best friends are missing, and I don't know what's happened to them."

"Aunt Hermione... And... Who?" I inquired tentatively, my eyes darting for somewhere I could run before he hexed me.

Harry scratched the back of his head, "You wouldn't know them... Bloody twins-"

"Fred and George?" I asked sharply, my eyes widening, "They're missing?"

"You know them?"

"They're like uncles to me!"

Ah. A bonding moment between me and the infamous Harry Potter. I wonder if I should run now?

He paced back and forth for a moment, tapping his wand against the palm of his left hand, "Right... Well, if he's gone to check on her, maybe he didn't send her in after all... Mind you, there is the chance-"

"Can I just go-"

"No. No, you're staying here until I figure out what to do," Harry ordered firmly, pointing his wand back at me. "I'm not going to hurt you, unless you force me to..."

I swallowed thickly and began to anxiously pick at my nails, a nervous habit I had taken up recently. There was a sharp knock at the door, and my head whipped, my eyes widening, "Will..."

"Who?" Harry demanded, his arm suddenly straightening at me in an attack position, "Stay quiet, and don't move."

I looked between the door and the rather insane man standing in front of me, and figured my best bet for safety would be my boyfriend standing on the other side. I closed my eyes, then cried, "Will! Will! Help me! Someone's in here! Will!"

"Shut up!" Harry hissed, both of our heads snapping back to the door as Will came barreling in, his wand drawn. Harry turned his attention to my boyfriend, and the tension in the air exploded rather violently. Will attempted to disarm him, but the other wizard blocked it, causing Will's spell to smash and shatter one of the pots near the fireplace.

"What's he doing here?" Will demanded rather savagely, "Eloise, if someone knew, you're entire family could be arrested!"

"I don't know! He just showed up!" I whimpered, emitting a sharp shriek as Harry flung a spell at Will, knocking him off his feet in a swift movement. His attention was finally back on me, and I felt as though something dark was going to happen in this house tonight, and it was probably going to happen to me.

"Get your father, Eloise!" Will called, suddenly hopping back to his feet and flinging a spell at Harry, who only narrowly avoided it, "I can hold him!"

Once again, I didn't second guess him, and I rushed off to the fireplace, screaming as Harry's stunning spell flew a fraction of an inch to the right of my head, making a dent in the wall. Grasping a handful of Floo powder, I hurled it into the hearth, screaming my destination before being swallowed up by a sea of green flames.

* * *

Hermione felt her head throbbing when she finally regained consciousness, and when she opened her eyes, they were met with more darkness. Groaning, she rolled onto her back, and realized she was laying on the cold, hard floor of some cell. Oh, Gods, she had been taken to the 'reformed' Azkaban!

Her breathing suddenly increased as she sat up, her large eyes darting around her cell. It was completely made out of bars, allowing her to see the dim torches flickering outside, and the pair of figures in the cell across from her. Their outlines, anyway.

There was a small bed to her right, which her captors had failed to drop her on when they brought her in for her imprisonment, and a urinal in the opposite corner, which reeked. Didn't they notice she was a girl? How the bloody Hell was she supposed to use that thing?

"Hermione?" came a rather strained voice from the other cell, "You okay?"

"Fred!" she cried, crawling over to the bars of her cell in relief, peering into the darkness at the hunched over forms, "Oh, Gods... I was so worried when they told me they had taken you four!"

"Well..." George laughed humourlessly, "You should still be worried about the girls... We don't have a clue where they've put them."

Hermione detected the evident sadness in his voice, and she sighed, "I'm sorry... I really am. How long have we been in here?"

"Only a few hours, for you," Fred informed her, sliding closer to the front of his cell. "We've been in here for about a day."

The stench of the cells were horrible, and Hermione nearly gagged at the mere wonder of how they had come to smell like rotting flesh. There was a tiny window at the other end of the cell rows, in which Hermione could gaze out and see the moon.

Oh Gods.

"You probably noticed we're in Azkaban-"

"Keep it down in there!" a gruff voice barked from the illuminated doorway, Hermione shivering slightly when she noticed the buff figure with wand in hand. Actually, the instrument he was holding seemed a little big for a wand; could it have been a club?

George lowered his voice and Hermione pressed herself up against the bars, finally able to see them better as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, "We're in Azkaban... And... They want to know about Harry."

"Yes, the men who came to get me mentioned Harry before they stunned me and... beat me?" Hermione muttered, feeling a sharp throb emitting from her forehead. She tenderly touched it, then hissed in pain, noting her finger tips were now covered in blood. Her cheek also felt swollen, and was tender to the touch, so she was assuming it was bruised.

"They were waiting to interrogate us until you came," Fred continued sadly. "Someone snitched on us about Harry living upstairs..."

"And the same person probably told them about him coming to visit you," George finished icily. "Any ideas, Hermione?"

Her mind instantly went to Draco, as he was the only one who had seen Harry at her apartment. She shook her head; no, he promised he wouldn't. Besides, there were countless needy people in her building that could use the money the Ministry handed out whenever someone gave in hints about the old Order of Pheonix members. It wasn't the first time someone had told on Hermione, though she had never been hauled off to Azkaban before.

"Where is everyone else?" Hermione inquired, ignoring George's question, for now, "Shouldn't there be more ... people in here?"

All of her neighboring cells were empty, except for the occasional rat that scampered out and across the stony floor.

One of the twins remarked, "We're the only _dangerous_ criminals, apparently... Everyone else is in a separate section... We were marched past them when we got in here."

"We're hoping that's where they're keeping the girls-"

"But we've realized you can't hope for much-"

"In a place like this."

Hermione tapped her head against the iron bar of her cell, trying to think of a way out of this. She finally noticed she was no longer in her shirt, but in a rather baggy and smelly old prisoner's uniform she had seen in pictures before. Her jeans were still intact, as was her bra, thankfully.

"Who... Who changed me?"

"A man in a mask. Most of them down here aren't high ranking or anything... They do the... heavy work."

Oh, Gods.

"The other ones are in the nice offices... and in the interrogation rooms," Fred concluded. "We're being taken there tomorrow, I think."

"Tomorrow?" Hermione whimpered, rubbing her stiff arms slowly, "That barely gives us any time to plan!"

They needed to get all of their stories straight, and make sure there were no holes for anyone to pick at when they were brought in for questioning. While the men may be good for the 'heavy work', thinking of plans and excuses had become Hermione's expertise ever since she had moved out on her own.

"Look... Dinner's coming round in a few minutes," George whispered urgently when Hermione heard some rustling coming from the end of the corridor. "So our only advice is not to drink anything they give you."

"Why not?"

"Laced with Veritaserum-"

"Fred smelled it-"

"That I did."

"Oh..." Hermione murmured, suddenly scrambling away from the cell bars when a pair of bulky figures stomped down the cell block. She sat up on her rather stiff bed as one of them opened her cell, then dropped a tray of food onto the floor, and slammed the door. The same treatment was given to Fred and George, and the three prisoners remained silent until they were sure they could no longer be heard by anyone as the guards walked off, both talking loudly about the recent Quidditch match.

Hermione crawled forward, her movements almost catlike as she gingerly poked at her meal. A small, rather burnt piece of chicken, some bread, and a glass of dark liquid. She looked up and across to the Weasley twins and noticed they both had poured out their drinks into the next cell. Quickly, she picked up her drink and tossed it into the cell beside her, sniffing the empty glass curiously. Oh, there was most definitely Veritaserum in it. This was going to be tricky.

"Right..." Hermione sighed, gingerly picking at her measly piece of chicken, "I think I've got an idea..."

* * *

Draco arrived back at the Snape Manor swiftly, as he knew there was nothing more he could do at Hermione's apartment.

"The Ministry's been through there," he announced as he stalked back into the dining hall, noticing Ginny's eyes widen, "and I think they've got her."

"How do you know, Draco?" his mother inquired, setting down her fork on her empty plate, her eyes darting between him and his father.

Lucius let out a sigh, "The Ministry searches things in a specific way, Cissa..."

"Yes," Snape agreed after a quick sip of his wine, "Draco, I'm assuming everything was out of order, but not in a way that seemed like someone had vandalized the place with intent to find something?"

"Yes," Draco responded angrily. "Everything was just pushed over... It wasn't exactly destroyed like a robber would do... I can't believe they've taken her!"

"What are you going to do?" Shane asked heatedly, "You can't just sit here-"

"There's nothing to do until tomorrow," Lucius snapped. "No one can get into the Ministry at these hours unless you worked there. Seeing that none of us do anymore..."

"Dad, I thought-"

"I work for them, yes," Draco sighed, cutting off Kevin, "but I don't work in the main department that deals with... prisoners."

Oh Gods, his Hermione was probably locked in some grimy cell somewhere, afraid and alone. Why on Earth would they take her? She does not have a criminal record... Well, since after the war, he was guessing.

But what if she did... And he just wasn't aware-

"Harry Potter!" Eloise shouted as she came tearing into the dining room, ripping Draco from his thoughts, "Harry Potter is in our house!"

"What?" Draco exploded, rising swiftly to his feet and nearly knocking his chair over.

His father too had risen to his feet, and Draco noticed a rather vicious look in his eye, "What are you talking about, Eloise?"

"I walked downstairs and he was just... there!" she exclaimed, her hands flying about dramatically as she explained her story, "And he held me at wand point-"

"Oh my goodness!" Narcissa gasped, clutching her hand to her chest, "Eloise, did he hurt you-"

"Harry would never hurt her," Ginny said quietly, her face unreadable. "He couldn't... Are you sure it was him?"

"He had the scar and everything!" Eloise cried, "Will came in and started to duel him!"

Ahh, he knew that boy would come in use some day.

Snape finally stood, "Shall we go deal with _Potter_ then? I had no idea he was even alive."

"Yes... I assumed someone had killed him, or he was in exile," Lucius muttered, pulling his wand out of his cane. "Cissa, stay here with the children-"

"We could come help," Shane argued. "We're trained to fight."

"No, Shane... Please, just stay here," Draco barked, his eyes wandering over to Ginny as she slowly started to stand up.

Snape too looked at her, then cleared his throat, "Ginevra, I think it would be best if you remained here."

"But, I-"

"Ginny, we're already wasting time, just stay here!" Draco grunted heatedly, pulling out his wand and apparating into the point in his front hallway, his eyes widening when he noticed Potter and Will dueling it out quite fiercely. There were shattered plants and pots everywhere, and he noted Will had a nasty little gash on the side of his face.

Two soft pops signified the arrival of his father and godfather, and Draco winced as his father shouted, "Enough!"

Before Harry even had time to react, Snape had disarmed him, sending his wand flying across the room and landed loudly on the tile floor.

"Well done, boy," Draco praised, looking Will over with some approval, "Now get out of here."

"Where's Eloise?" Will demanded, "Is she okay?"

"Take the fireplace to the Snape Manor," Snape growled, pointing sharply at the mantel near the rear of the hall. "Now!"

Draco watched as his daughter's boyfriend raced across the room and stepped into the fireplace, vanishing in a few moments.

"You've got a lot of nerve coming into my home, Potter," Draco snarled, raising his wand to his old enemy's chest. "I should kill for the sheer boldness."

"Where's Hermione?" Harry yelled, "Did you go and rat on her, you little ferret?"

His father looked down at him quizzically, both his and Snape's wands still trained on Harry, "What does he mean, Draco?"

"Your boy's seen me before," Harry laughed, his green eyes dancing over the three men. "Didn't he tell you?"

"You could be killed for keeping that to yourself!" Snape hissed, his own dark eyes flashing at Draco, "When did you see him?"

"A few days ago," Draco replied before Harry could blow this for him. "He came out when Hermione and I were shopping... She begged me not to tell-"

"And you were weak and agreed?" his father spat, rolling his eyes, "He's a wanted man, Draco!"

Yes, he was aware of _that_! Draco shot his father a glare, then returned the venom he had been saving for Potter onto the wizard, "Why are you here, Potter?"

"Hermione's missing, and so are Fred and George," Harry growled as he took a few steps toward the trio. "I figured you went and told on her, thus putting her away into jail-"

"I'd never turn Hermione in," Draco insisted dangerously, straightening his wand arm a little more. "I think she's locked away because someone else told... All because of _you_, Potter."

"There's always going to be risks," Harry argued, "but we were careful... Who saw? Hmm? Which one of your little friends?"

"Potter, you're temper is so like your late godfather's," Snape droned lazily. "Please, try and suppress it when in my presence... I may kill you because you sound like Black."

"Piss off, Snape," Harry laughed dryly. "You know you couldn't kill me... What would Ginny say to that, if you let her speak at all-"

"You are not allowed to speak about my wife!" Snape exploded, and Draco started to sense his godfather was going to hex Potter.

Instantly, he took a step between them, "No. Uncle... Let me handle this."

"Oh, for Salazar's sake, just kill him," Lucius emphasized, pushing Draco out of the way. "It'll save us a load of trouble."

Before his father could murmur the killing curse that was just aching to be released from his lips, Draco stunned Harry, causing the dark haired man to fall to the floor, his body rigid.

"I need him alive!" Draco snarled as his father opened his mouth tightly to question him, "He's my ticket to get Hermione back, understood?"

Without waiting for either of them to say anything, he crossed the room to Harry and levitated his body up, deciding it would be best to keep him locked in the basement until he figured out a proper plan.


	31. Electricity Sparks

I drummed my fingers anxiously on the table, barely listening to Grandmother and Shane discuss everything I had just told them. I worried about Will for the most part, and I didn't want him to get hurt. He was a pretty decent dueler, but Harry was older, and more experienced, and I didn't want my new boyfriend to end up in the hospital because of some incurable hex.

Finally, my worries were over when I spotted Will stumbling into the dining hall, looking slightly lost in the new surroundings. I smiled, then rose swiftly, "Will! Are you okay? Where's everyone else?"

I rushed around the table, then hastily into his arms, checking his face for some sort of wound that would need treating. He winced a little, but from what I could see, nothing visible was wrong. As gently as he could, he brushed some hair out of my face, "I think you're dad has it under control... He was going pretty good when I left."

I let out a sigh of relief, then turned back to the table, introducing him to Ginny, and vice versa. She shot me an approving look as Will greeted my Grandmother properly, then said his hello's to my other siblings.

"So it was most definitely Potter?" Grandmother inquired, swirling the contents of her glass around as Will and I took a seat across from her, Will between me and Annie. I should have been hurt that she didn't trust my judgment, but I suppose because I had never actually seen Harry Potter, only heard about him, it was understandable.

"I recognized him from the last duel we had," Will explained. "He hasn't changed... A little shaggier, I suppose, but it's still Potter."

Ginny cocked an eyebrow, "What have they done with him? Is he hurt?"

"He was fine when I left," Will sighed, running a hand through his black hair, "but your husbands seemed rather livid that he was in the house... I don't know what they've done to him."

Normally I wouldn't have noticed the things Ginny did, unless she was speaking to me, but for some reason, I couldn't help but notice she looked concerned, almost frightened. Her face was paler than usual, and she was timidly chewing on her lower lip. I was about to whisper my observation to Kevin, who was contently shoving forkfuls of beans into his mouth, when Ginny rose suddenly, "Narcissa... I think I'm going to go check on Draco. Make sure he doesn't do something he regrets."

My grandmother smirked, "Of course, darling. Run along to check on Draco."

Ginny smiled weakly before departing from the room, leaving the six of us in silence. It wasn't everyday that the hosts left a dinner party. Mind you, it also isn't every day Harry Potter comes crashing into your house demanding to know where your aunt has been taken off to.

"Hey... Do you think Aunt Hermione is okay?" I asked suddenly, looking hopefully at my grandmother for some sort of reassurance, "You don't think she was hauled off to jail, right?"

I waited, and slowly began to fear that Narcissa Malfoy knew something more than she was letting on. However, she smiled and took a delicate sip of her wine, "Nonsense, darling. I'm sure it was a misunderstanding... Your father will go down in the morning and have everything taken care of."

"Well, if they took her because of Potter, then there may be a little more difficulties when it comes to her release," Will countered, earning himself a hard glare from my grandmother, "I mean... I'm sure he can get her out, but... It's tricky when it comes to Potter and his friends. Hermione Granger has been on their black list for years."

I frowned; how did Will know so much about the Ministry? He must have caught my train of thought, because he chuckled and placed his hand atop of mine, "I did some paper pushing for some extra money a little while back..."

"So that's how you got that awesome new broom, eh?" Shane mused. I could already hear the gears turning in his head, and I was pretty sure his new plot in life would be to get a job, since Draco seemed a little stricter when it came to giving the boys money.

Will nodded, "Hmm. Yeah, well I came across some files I shouldn't have... Ginny was on there too."

"Yes, but that was because of her position before she married Severus," Grandmother stated, her eyes still glaring at my boyfriend. "I'm sure her name has been removed."

"Of course."

The air suddenly frosted over between the two, and I noticed Narcissa pursing her lips, a habit she seemed to do whenever she was overly displeased with someone. Although I knew she was not as blunt as dad could be, she had a subtle hate that I was pretty sure Will would pick up on if they continued their conversation. I decided to take action.

"Will and I were going to go out and grab a snack tonight," I stated, threading my thumb up through two of his fingers and casually stroking his soft skin, "but uh... We didn't. Do you think Uncle Severus would mind if I got him a plate of something from the kitchen?"

"No, I suppose there would be some extra food in there for Will," she sighed, turning her attention to Annie and inquiring how she liked the meal. Kevin and I made brief eye contact and he shrugged, obviously at a loss for what stirred her sudden icy mood switch.

"C'mon," I muttered, pulling him up and quickly escorting him out of the dining hall, trying my best to remember which way to the kitchen.

My eyes peeled sharply through the halls, and I finally spotted the familiar route I had taken earlier that evening to fetch Lucius some tea. The moody old thing couldn't go get it himself, so of course he shucks one of the grandkids off to get it.

"So..." Will mused as he took a seat at the small table near the rear of the kitchen, his eyes on me as I began putting a little bit of everything that was still sitting out on his plate, "Some second date, huh?"

I giggled, scratching the back of my head as I searched for a cup of any sort, "Well... You can never tell when some crazy man is going to come charging into your house and try to hold you hostage. We'll go out again and do it right."

"Definitely," he laughed, winking at me when I looked back at him over my shoulder. "What's on the menu tonight?"

"A little bit of mixed vegetables," I started, pointing to each thing with a fork as I said it, barely noticing he was standing up and walking toward me. "We've got some chicken... Though slightly cold, but still good. And some more mashed potatoes, and beans... Bloody Hell, I can't believe they cooked this much for like... nine people."

I suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around my mid-section, and I let out another loud giggle, my cheeks flaming at the reaction. He chuckled softly in my ear, his strong arms dragging me back into him. Tilting my head up, I smiled as he pressed a few faint kisses along my jaw, then paused at my lips, his own so close I could feel the energy radiating off of them. A cheeky grin slowly crossed his lips, and I stood up a little higher, pressing mine into his. It wasn't some soap-opera kiss where it's all tongue and nose bumping. I didn't mind that we were full-on making out after only having one date. Call me old fashioned, but I want it to be special, and I don't want to waste my precious make-out moments, even if they are with the most perfect guy, like Will.

"You look great tonight," he mumbled, giving me a quick peck before nuzzling his nose in the crook of my neck. "I almost wanted to just stop and stare, had Potter not been there threatening you."

"And you were my hero," I noted, turning my head back again to steal another kiss, "I don't know how to thank you."

"Oh?" he breathed, "I'm sure we can think of a few ways."

"Oh for the love of... Will! Get your bloody hands off my sister!"

Had it been someone other than Shane we would have leapt apart and been extremely embarrassed. However, seeing as it was just my brother, older than me, younger than Will, we figured it didn't really matter if he saw anything. It wasn't as if we were shagging on the counter.

Will spun me to face him, his comforting arms still wrapped snugly around my stomach, "What'd you want, Shane?"

"The last four second of my life back with you two not snogging," he grumbled, rolling his eyes. "The manly men have returned, except Dad, and we're supposed to get going."

"Good... We can have more privacy at home," I whispered, leaning up and giving Will another kiss. Shane made a distinct gagging noise, then stalked out, muttering something to himself. I snorted, "He's only like that because he wants to get with Sawyer."

"That new girl?"

"That's the one... He has such issues with getting together though. He doesn't want another Amy."

"Understandable... The woman was insane."

"Will!"

"It's true!"

We shared a laugh as we returned to the dining room, Will's arm wrapped around my waist as a proper escort. I couldn't help but feel a little awkward when Lucius glared back at me, then looked away, rolling his eyes. I still don't know what's wrong with him, since he's been so damn moody lately, but I don't want to press my luck and somehow get Will banned from ever coming over to the manor.

However, as I studied the group before me, I noted it wasn't just Lucius that had a sour expression on his face. Both Ginny and Severus had rather unpleasant looks, and while they smiled as they said goodbye to everyone, I could tell something wasn't right. I wonder what happened back at the manor?

We bid the Snapes goodbye, and I hoisted a rather sleepy little Annie up on my hip as me and my siblings squished into the fireplace, smiling one last time as Lucius tossed some Floo dust in, instantly sending us back to our home. As we all scrambled out, I handed Annie over to Shane, who hastily swept her up toward the staircase, tickling her lightly and earning him a giggle. Kevin headed off toward the Muggle room, mentioning something about a new television program on that night he wanted to watch. Will and I stepped out of the way as Lucius and Narcissa came thundering into the fireplace, Narcissa clutching her husband daintily as he helped her out.

I couldn't help but smile as I watched her dust the ashes off his cloak, and I continued to smile as she fussed over him. There's a marriage.

"So, look," Will reflected, taking my hand, "I have a ton of work I need to catch up on... If we aren't doing anything tonight, do you mind if I take off? I need to finish some reports and stuff for school, too."

"Yeah... Yeah, don't worry about it," I replied, trying not to let him notice the obvious disappointment in my tone. "We'll do something next week."

"Done."

He leaned down, cupping my face tenderly and giving me a soft kiss, "I'll send you an Owl about a timing, okay?"

"Sure," I blurted, wishing he would continue to kiss me. "Sure... That's great."

"Night, beautiful."

"Night."

He closed the door just as Bo came tumbling down the stairs, growling at the retreating figure. I rolled my eyes, "Some watchdog you are."

He stared up me, his long tongue lolling out the side of his mouth as his tail slowly started to wag. Atleast someone wants me company tonight. I went forward and picked him up, cuddling him to my chest, suddenly remembering how much fun he was to hold, when he didn't squirm. He's getting bigger though, so I don't think I'll be able to do this much longer.

"I should savor the time we can cuddle, shouldn't I?" I giggled in a baby-voice, scratching behind his ears as I started up the stairs, deciding tonight was solely dedicated to me and Bo reading magazine until I fell asleep.

* * *

Snape watched his wife undress with a little more force then she would normally use, and sighed as she slammed the bathroom door behind her. They had gotten into a bit of a quarrel when she arrived at the Malfoy Manor, requesting that she see Harry. He wasn't quite sure what had come over him, but for some reason, he did not want her to see her old boyfriend. Infact, something inside made him want to keep her away from Harry bloody Potter for as long as he possibly could. That wasn't too difficult to ask of her, right? However, when he tried to express his opinion, it came across as a snarl, then a shout when she tried to argue with him. Ever since then, she had given him the cold shoulder and the silent treatment.

He sat in bed, picking at a loose thread in the comforter, then sighed, waiting for his wife to return. She hadn't been this angry in quite a while, and he didn't want it to build up over the next few days, then suddenly explode at him when he least expected it. That was always the worst, since she had adopted her mother's frightening temper, he didn't want to push her.

The bathroom door flung open and she strode across the room forcefully, avoiding all sort of eye contact with him, even as she crawled into bed beside him, angrily snatching her book up and ripping it open to her bookmark. Snape peered over at her and noticed her eyes weren't actually moving, she was just staring at the paper, fuming with anger.

"Ginny-"

"Don't speak to me," she snarled, slamming the book shut and setting it down forcefully, and loudly, on her nightstand.

Snape didn't want to go to bed like this, as he enjoyed waking up to a refreshed, happy Ginny each morning, so he tried once more, "Ginny, I'm not trying to be cruel-"

"My best friend is being held captive in some basement," she hissed, her eyes already brimming with tears. "My other best friend and brothers are in prison for associating with Harry. All I wanted to do was see him... I haven't in years, Severus."

"I know... Tonight isn't the night, love," he hushed, reaching over to touch her hand, but she instantly shoved him away. He sighed once more and brought his hand back, resting it neatly on his lap. "He's very emotional and stressed tonight... He was very upset that Granger was taken captive, and he assumed it was Draco's fault. So, we had to restrain him before he caused anyone real harm."

He listened to her breathing mellow out, and her sniffling stopped, but when he looked over at her, he could tell she was still angry with him, "I don't care what your reasons were... You had no right to tell me off like a child in front of Lucius and Draco."

"I didn't-"

"No right!" she exclaimed, climbing out of bed and storming out, apparently too angry to even slam the door. Snape pinched the bridge of his nose, silently debating whether he would skin him alive if he followed her.

* * *

Draco sat across the room from Harry, both sharing an equally intense glare of disliking. The main different between the two men, was that Harry had one hand shackled to the wall, and was seated on the ground, while Draco had his own little stool to sit on.

The Malfoy basement used to be a torture chamber, but his parents had all the devices removed before he was born. In any case, is still served as a chilling place to hold prisoners, if the need every rose. And now was a time of need.

He wasn't too sure what he was going to do with Harry. One idea was to just turn him in, have his Hermione released, then see the bugger's execution with a seat in the front row. However, Hermione would either kill him, or never speak to him again, and at the moment, he wasn't too sure which was worse. Having the woman he was falling in love with hating him forever wasn't exactly on his list of things to do.

"So what?" Harry snapped, finally drawing him out of his thoughts, "Are we just going to sit here?"

"I'm deciding what to do with you, Potter," he sneered. "If you hadn't broken into my house and held my daughter at wand point you wouldn't be in this situation."

He snorted loudly, shaking his head, "Since when have you had kids, Malfoy?"

Draco's vile glare narrowed in on him again, "None of your business, Potter."

"She looked about fifteen... sixteen maybe?" he mused, counting something up on his fingers. "Where's the wife?"

"Dead."

"Ah."

"I have four of them, you know. There's a lot of stress on me, and there has been for a long while before you so elegantly came sweeping back into Hermione's life."

The dark-haired man snorted once more and Draco was threatened to just hex him, that way the only sounds he would make would be ones of pain. Harry stared over at him, "I met one of your boys... Kevin. Nice kid. Dunno how he came from you."

"Real mature," Draco retorted, rolling his eyes. "I don't know what to do with you, Potter. On one hand it would be easy to just hand you over and reap the glory the Dark Lord would give me."

"Sounds wonderful-"

"But," Draco ground out forcefully, "Hermione would hate me, and I don't want that."

"Don't talk about her around me," Harry snapped, picking at the metal shackle around his wrist. "I don't understand what she sees in you... She's usually a good judge of character. Well, not with people she dates, but... normal people."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Draco asked cautiously, his forehead knitting slightly. Who else had Hermione dated? They'd never really had this conversation in detail before.

"There's Krum, for one," Harry began, ticking off names on his fingers as he went, "and Krum was never there for her. Ron didn't know she was over the moon about him until it was too late and he had fallen for someone else... And then there's the odd Muggle here and there..."

Hermione dated a Muggle? How dare some undeserving piece of filth actually touch her? He ground his teeth together and his hands balled into fists, earning him another laugh from his childhood enemy, "You the jealous type, Malfoy?"

"Piss off, Potter."

"I take that as a yes then?"

"I said shut your mouth," Draco snarled, rising to his feet, his wand in hand, "or I'll shut it for you."

He wanted to see some hint of fear in Harry's eyes, but he had never shown it, so why did Draco really expect to see it now? That stupid arrogant grin was still there, and just as Draco raised his wand, he heard his mother call his name sharply.

Damn it all to Hell - this was why he didn't want to have his parents around all the time.

"Draco..." she cooed, floating down the stairs with all the grace she possessed, "I want you to get some sleep."

"I'm fine, Mother."

"No, no you aren't... If you're going into the Ministry early in the morning for Hermione, I want you refreshed and ready. Besides, you're only going to do something stupid, like kill him, should I leave you down here alone."

Draco shot her a glare, then pocketed his wand, deciding she probably knew his temper better than anyone, and figured a good night's sleep was going to be hard enough to get if he went to bed late. An early night would hopefully grant him atleast five hours of sleep. Hopefully.

* * *

Harry stared ahead at the stone floor, trying very hard not to look at the woman before him. She was very lovely, had she not been married to such a arrogant bastard like Lucius Malfoy.

"I have some bedding for you," she explained, snapping her fingers forcefully. Within a second, a pair of house elves appeared, each loaded up with pillows and sheets. He didn't want to be grateful, but there was a small part of him that thanked her out of the politeness Dumbledore had instilled in him years ago.

"Thank you."

"I'm sure that took a lot, Mr. Potter," she chuckled, her eyes watching the elves as they spread out the bed things for him. "I would have you put in a room, but my husband and son are rather... pigheaded when it comes to you, I'm afraid."

"I wonder why?" Harry muttered sarcastically, "Do you know when I'll be getting out of here?"

She sighed, her lips pursed as she waved the house elves away, "I don't know. Sometime soon, I hope. It's too dangerous to keep you here. As high ranking as Lucius is... Someone like you could ruin our family. I want you gone as soon as possible."

Harry wasn't too sure if that was a good thing or not, and he smiled weakly as she exited the basement, her heels clacking loudly against the stone, until he finally heard a door shut and lock from above. He snorted once more; did she expect him to gnaw through the shackle, the metal shackle, and somehow break out? He needed to compose himself, make a plan.

Hermione was always so good at taking the time to make plans, while Harry preferred the action part of a fight, like his godfather, and he was sure, like his father. This was not what he expected to happen on his return to England. Things were supposed to be different.

He had come down to rally a few of the old members, hopefully get them back into action and rise up against the Dark Lord. However, as he traveled from house to house, he couldn't help but notice so many people didn't have any objections to Voldemort's reign. Frustrated, his last hope had been Hermione, but now that she was with Draco, it seemed as if she was ready to leave the fight behind. No matter; he would talk her into something, just as soon as he figured out how to get her out of jail. And the twins! They were locked away too! He had gotten his friends into so much trouble, and it was killing him inside.

Darkness overwhelmed him, and as soon as he had gotten used to it, he rearranged his pillows and lay down, noting they were oddly comfortable. Were these sheets silk? Not that he really cared, but it was just a little shocking that Narcissa Malfoy was treating him so well. He wondered if they did this to all of their prisoners.

The door suddenly open, and Harry opened his eyes a crack, noticing the light spilling down the stairs with warmth, warmth he had a craving for. He listened to the footsteps, and finally summarized there were two of them, and they did not belong to adults. Cautiously, he sat up and noticed it was two of the Malfoy children. He sighed in relief, then rubbed his eyes; he was almost on the verge of sleep.

"Mr. Potter?" came a soft, female voice, the smaller of the two stepping into his line of sight, "I brought you some cookies."

"Cookies?" Harry croaked, squinting in the darkness at the little blonde girl, "Oh... Oh, thank you."

"And I found a Butterbeer in the fridge," came the second voice, one of which he recognized as Kevin. "Something to wash them down with."

"Th-Thanks," he stammered again, accepting the bottle and setting it beside the plate of cookies. This had to have been the weirdest captivity he had ever been in.

* * *

"You know these things were outlawed by Muggles years ago?" Hermione argued as a pair of men forced her down on a table, strapping her ankles down, "Why would you sink to this level?"

"Shut up, Granger," Rosier muttered, standing over her head and smiling as the men locked both of her arms down, despite her struggles, then stepped back, leaving her strapped to the bed, "I understand you know what this does?"

Hermione gulped and closed her eyes for a moment, praying for something to intervene. She had been tortured before, but never to this extent, and never over something as important as Harry. Nervously, she watched as the men continued to attach things to her arms, wires and such, then retreat into the shadows, leaving her alone with Rosier.

"I know that this will give an electrical shock of current when you want it to," she stated in a matter-of-fact tone, "and it used to be used in mental homes, for Muggles, as a form of therapy. However, it was outlawed-"

She squealed as he placed a firm hand over her mouth, his eyes almost daring her to bite down, "You talk far too much. The rumours never lie... Now, I've got a few questions that I need answered. You can answer them, or you don't. I trust you know what will happen if you don't."

Her breathing started to increase, but tried not to let it show. Instead, she stared out defiantly, almost as if she was ignoring him.

"Were you ever in contact with a Mr. Harry Potter?" he demanded, his tone soft, yet forceful at the same time. Hermione clamped her jaw shut, bracing for the inevitable. He repeated the question, and when she didn't answer again, he cleared his throat.

The first jolt came as such a shock that she screamed, her body twitching violently as currents traveled through it. Her limbs fought desperately against the straps that held them down, but it was in vain. Nothing broke, as she had hoped, and when the electricity stopped, she was still strapped to the table.

"Let's try a different one, shall we?" Rosier snorted, and she heard the sound of papers rustling, "Do you know of the whereabouts of Potter?"

"Last I heard... he was in Scotland," Hermione lied, glaring over him sourly. He wrinkled his nose, then nodded to the side of the room, a stronger surge of current rattling her bones. She tried to hold it in, but a scream was inevitable, and she couldn't hold back the tears that sprang to her eyes. With no hand to wipe them away, she just let them roll down her cheeks, oblivious to what anyone else thought.

Rosier groaned, "Answer the question, Granger, and stop trying to be smart."

"I'm sorry, it must come as a shock to you to be around people with intelligence-"

She shrieked again loudly as the electricity came. Desperately, she pulled at the straps that secured her to the table, but like before, nothing budged.

This was hopeless! But she wouldn't give in. She continued to sit in silence, the only sound in the room was Rosier's questions, followed by a period of quiet, then her screams echoing in the small chamber.

"We can offer you a deal, Granger," Rosier hissed after nearly a half an hour of constant questioning and shocking. "We can give you freedom..."

"Nothing you're offering is worth Harry," she sneered, her eyes a constant stream of tears. "Nothing."

"How noble, Mudblood," Rosier scoffed, rolling his eyes, "I've had enough for today... Put her back in her cell, and we'll bring her round tomorrow again."

A pair of strong arms unlatched her straps, then hauled her out of the bed, dragging her along the filthy floor. They marched her through other rows of loud prisoners, most people screaming insults at the guards while other men came to try and settle them down.

Before Hermione knew it, she was being tossed in her cell, her entire body throbbing and shaking all at once. She could barely move, but she managed to crawl over to her cot and rest her head on the soft material. Her twins were gone, most likely enduring the same treatment as she had just suffered through. Her breathing came out in shallow, trembling heaves, and she could feel all of her muscles, each one, quivering from the recent torture she had been forced to undergo.

She gazed at the hollowness of her cell and her eyes narrowed; they wouldn't break her.


	32. Suspected Traitor

Draco hated being at the prison. He had been there once or twice before, and it had been so many years ago, back when they locked up his father. It always brought back painful memories, but he knew he couldn't back down now. His Hermione was probably in some cell, scared out of her mind...

No. Hermione was tougher than people gave her credit for, and he tried to remind himself she had survived for this long on her own, and she could handle herself in prison. At least those confounded Weasley twins were there to give her some support.

"I'm here to see prisoner Granger," Draco barked at the gate keeper, keeping his expression stern and his voice strong. "Where is she?"

"She's the dangerous criminals ward," the young man replied, scanning his list of names. "Cell 468... I'll need you to sign this before you go in and see her though, Mr. Malfoy."

"Very well," Draco grumbled, snatching the paper away and pulling a pen from his pocket, signing the form of entrance on all the marked lines. This was ridiculous; he ranked high with Voldemort, and he shouldn't need to do stupid things like this every time he went somewhere.

"So why are you in to see her?" the man inquired as Draco hastily scribbled his signature, "She's just some Mudblood."

To his shock, Draco actually snapped the pen in half, ink spilling out everywhere. The attendant's eyes widened, and Draco quickly glared up at him, "What?"

"Nothing, sir," he replied, pulling out his wand and ridding Draco's hand of the spilled ink. "I was just... making conversation."

"Well, do it with someone who bloody cares next time," Draco snarled, shoving the papers back into his hands. "Now open the gate."

He waited for a moment, and cleared his throat pointedly as the attendant swiftly stamped the papers with clearance, then opened the gate. The dangerous criminals section was locked in the far back of the prison, which meant Draco would have to walk through the nearly endless rows of cells filled with other prisoners.

He could usually take the jeering, the hatred. Sometimes he would sneer something back, then call in a guard to deal with them, if he needed to. Today, however, his shoulders were slumped as he marched along the line of hate, because that day someone was in this Hell that meant something to him.

He stopped at the door of Hermione's ward, bracing himself. He had no idea what sort of condition she could be in, and he wasn't sure how he would handle it. After taking a moment to calm himself, he stepped inside. There was literally no one, but one soul, within the ward, and that soul was Fred Weasley.

The once loud and exuberant man lay crumpled on the floor, his head resting on his hands, eyes closed. There was a large, black ring around his right eye, and all of his knuckles were bloody.

If he looked like this, what did Hermione look like? Did they have the courage to do that to a woman?

"You're a stupid prick, you know that?"

Draco paused, his eyes returning to Fred, who was now barely sitting up weakly, glaring harshly at him, "I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me," the man's voice was strained, and sounded as though he had spent all his life smoking, "I can't believe you had the nerve to show your bloody face here."

"What are you talking about?" Draco demanded, sauntering over to his cell and staring down at the beaten Weasley, "I'm here to see Hermione-"

"After you sold her out...?"

Draco's eyes narrowed, and he resisted the urge to reach through the bars and strangle him. How dare he even _suggest_ that Draco would turn in Hermione? Hadn't Fred seen him that day when he was looking for her, how desperate he was to find her?

He could act, to a degree, but Draco was never very good at trying to convince people he felt one way, when really he felt another.

"I promised her I'd never turn her, or Potter, in," Draco stated coldly, his hands balling into fists, "I swore to her."

"Yeah, well, we all know what good your word is, Malfoy."

"How dare you-"

"Oi," a guard bellowed, stalking into the ward. "He's not supposed to be talking, are you, Weasley?"

"Bugger off."

Draco was forced to step out of the way as the guard cast a Cruiciatus Curse on Fred, causing the redhead to cry out in pain, his entire body jittering under the effects of the curse. For a moment, Draco watched, but before long he couldn't anymore, and made himself look away, wincing. He used to be able to watch someone being tortured. It used to be easy.

A lot of things used to be easy.

"Just give me a shout if he starts harassing you again, Mr. Malfoy," the guard grunted, turning on his heel and exiting the ward, though Draco knew he wasn't too far away. He would have to speak quietly.

"Listen," Draco whispered, kneeling down in front of the cell, trying not to stare directly into Fred's hateful eyes, "I did not turn her in-"

"Bullocks."

"I swear it on all four of my children that I did _not_ turn in Hermione, or yourself, or even your brother and your wives, alright?" Draco pressed on, a little more firmly this time, "I can't sleep at night knowing Hermione's in here..."

"They roughed her up pretty bad, you know?" Fred groaned, clearly trying not to move from the obvious pain he was in. Draco knew the effects of the curse, and could empathize with him immediately, "They bring her in for electric shock questioning... It's like they don't want to touch her."

Draco's eyes widened, and he leaned a little closer to the bars, desperate to hear more, "What? I thought that was outlawed!"

"Obviously not in here," Fred muttered, finally rolling onto his side to face Draco, "and they drag her through the halls... They won't give her the dignity to let her walk... Her knees are torn up so badly, and they keep ripping them fresh every day."

Draco let out a sigh, running his fingers through his hair, "And you and your brother? What do they do to you?"

"Oh, we get the Muggle treatment, ironically," Fred mused. "They've got George and Hermione at the moment... No doubt giving George the ol' one two."

Draco hardly noticed Fred inching closer to the bars, and he let out a frustrated grumble, "I don't know how to help her... She's locked away in here, and I'm worthless-"

Before he could finish, Fred's fist flew out and slammed into his jaw, knocking him over onto his backside. His eyes flashed dangerously as he cradled his wounded face, snarling, "What the bloody Hell was that for?"

Fred rolled his eyes, "Don't be too offended, Malfoy, but I was trying to get that ruddy brain of yours working again."

"What?"

"You need to start thinking logically, not pitying yourself because you haven't gotten her out yet," Fred ranted, rolling slowly down onto his back. "Consider it a wake-up punch..."

He paused for a moment, "Hermione's right... It does feel good to hit you."

Draco scowled at him and tenderly touched at his jaw, hoping the oaf hadn't broken it.

* * *

Hermione had some ability to move her arms and legs this time, and yet they still continued to drag her through the prison. The questions were getting more pointed now, and not as general as they had been the day Rosier started with the torturing, but she still hadn't said anything of value. Today, she decided to let them think they were cracking her mind a little, and began singing off nursery rhymes her mother had sang to her when she was little. It helped her block out the electrocution, but only slightly.

She wondered how much of it the human body could take. There had to be a limit, and she was sure that her captors knew that. Soon, her torturing would be done in a different manner, most likely to give her frazzled nerves a break.

The other prisoners looked at her with pity whenever she was hauled past their cell, and she wished they would stop shouting her release. She was grateful they cared, but the constant noise was really starting to hurt her head, and by the time she was returned to her cell, she had a splitting migraine.

"There's someone here to see her," a guard mumbled to the men hauling her back to her cell, "Malfoy."

"Malfoy? Why...?"

"I don't know."

Hermione suddenly felt her spirits soar, despite the fact she was in pain, and her knees were, once again, bleeding all over the floor. Nothing really mattered; Draco had come to see her!

How did she look though? She was in some white, short outifit, covered in blood and dirt from her cell. They hadn't allowed her to shower the entire time she had been in there, and she was without a brush, so her hair was mad. Her eyes were swollen from crying through her electric shock sessions, and there were dark marks around her wrists and ankles from where she tried to pull herself free.

Would he care?

"Well, take her in then," the guard sighed. "I don't know if he wants to be alone, or what..."

They pulled her inside, and she nearly began crying, from joy, upon spotting Draco on the floor, rubbing his jaw tentatively. He froze upon seeing her, and was instantly on his feet, bustling toward the men holding her, "Get off her!"

He brushed them aside, then settled down at her level, pulling her roughly into a hug, his breathing slightly uneven, "Gods, Hermione..."

"You have ten minutes, Malfoy," a guard remarked, then the pair swept out of the ward, leaving them alone, aside from Fred.

"I never thought you'd come," Hermione whimpered, wrapping her fingers around the soft material of his shirt, trying to bring herself as close to him as she could. "Draco, we need to get out of here!"

"Shh," he murmured, pressing his lips to the side of her head, despite her hair being an absolute monster, "I know... I'm working on it."

She sat in his arms for some time, not talking, just letting him hold her. It was the first time she realized that she actually missed being around him so much that it made her loneliness in the cell all the more unbearable.

"How are you feeling?" Draco inquired, stroking her back slowly.

She shrugged, then winced at the movement, "Sore. How long have you been here?"

"Not long... Fred and I were... talking."

She turned her head slightly to look at her friend, then looked away, unable to stare at him in the condition he was in, "I'm out of ideas. I can't just keep not saying anything."

"I'll get you out of here, I promise," he stated, gently tilting her chin up with his finger. "I will find a way."

"How?" she croaked, pushing off his chest so she could have a proper conversation with him, "There's no-"

"Potter."

Harry? No. No, she wouldn't allow it.

"If you bring Harry into this... I will never, ever speak to you again," she said, her expression dead serious. "I mean it, Draco."

"Hermione... How can you defend him?" Draco demanded, trying to pull her back into him, but she fended him off, "He's the reason you're in here!"

"He's my best friend," Hermione hissed, "and these are war times... I'd do anything for him, even this."

"Would you?"

"Don't test my loyalty... It's been done enough today."

They stared at each other for a moment, until Hermione finally looked away, her eyes starting to water, "I'm sorry. Just... don't bring Harry into this."

"I have him..." Draco whispered. "At my home... He tried to break in, probably to find out what happened to you."

Hermione's mind reeled. Was he insane? Why would Harry do something so stupid? She had told him to stay out of trouble, not go breaking into people's houses, especially the Malfoys!

"What have you-"

"He's being held in our basement," Draco explained, and Hermione faintly noticed Fred becoming more interested in the conversation, "Father wanted to just turn him in... but I told him I wouldn't. But, Hermione, if there's no other way to get you out..."

"Do I need to punch you a second time?" Fred snarled, causing Hermione to jump, "Figure out another way!"

"Fred, please," Hermione whimpered, simmering her friend's temper with a wave of her hand. She turned her attention back to Draco, "Please, don't let Harry be involved."

"Hermione, if I have no other choice... Then I will."

"Then I'll never speak to you again," she ground out, her eyes watering once more. "Please, for us... I'm begging you not to."

He tucked a piece of wild hair behind her ear, then muttered, "I'm going to do what's best for you, in the end, and get you out as quickly as I can."

"Time's up, Mr. Malfoy," the guard stated as he strode back into the ward, grasping Hermione roughly by the arm and dragging her into her cell, causing her to release a cry of pain.

Draco quickly rose to his feet, then shoved the guard back, the large man slamming into the bars of Fred's cell, "You watch how you treat her, understood?"

"And you watch your temper, Malfoy," the guard hissed, regaining his balance, "or we'll have to hold you for disturbing our ability to perform our jobs."

Hermione reached out from her cell and tugged at the bottom of his cloak, causing him to turn back and kneel down, his eyes misty with annoyance, "What?"

"Please, I want you to come back and see me... Don't get kicked out," she whispered, pressing her face up to the bars. "Please..."

He leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss, and while the pressure hurt her face, she still smiled when he pulled away and gathered up her hands through the bars, bringing them together and kissing them each once, "I'll be back soon."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

She watched him walk out of the ward sadly, and ignored the disgusted look the guard gave them both as he followed. Once again, she and Fred were alone in the ward. Hermione crawled back to her small cot, then made herself comfortable on the thin mattress, feeling the inevitable coming. She sobbed loudly, and Fred rolled over, his eyes glinting in the darkness, "Oh, please don't cry, Hermione..."

"I'm sorry... I can't help it!" she wailed, wiping under her eyes, "I'm so bloody sore, and... and he's gone again!"

"It hurts to hear you cry, especially over him, Hermione," Fred mumbled, a little more gently this time. "He said he'd be back... I'm sure he cares about you, so he will be back."

Hermione leaned her head back against the stone wall, closing her eyes slowly, hoping she could just block it all out.

* * *

I sighed as my eyes skimmed over the Herbology project I had recently been assigned. I don't understand why we actually have to take this class, despite the acceptable teacher; it's a waste of time. I don't think I'm ever really going to need to know when an Elder Root will sprout a pod, nor do I care. However, that was what the damn project was on, and I may as well do it.

We're back at Hogwarts for half of the week, and Dad is off visiting Aunt Hermione this morning. I wished I could have gone along, but he refused to allow any of us into a prison, even if it was to see our aunt.

It was currently my study hall, and I was sitting with Sawyer, Shane and Darius Zabini, yuck, in the library. Surprisingly, each of us was actually _doing_ our homework, which is rare for a free period.

However, it would take a moron to not notice Sawyer and Shane flirting with each other. Granted, he's not the smartest person in the world, but it makes me laugh that she goes out of her way to show him out to do things, brushing up against his arm each time, and smiling her pretty smile to keep him happy.

I can't really say anything, since Will and I are all over each other, whether Shane's in the room or not, but I sort of wonder if Shane really notices the extent of her flirting.

Darius has also been trying to get my attention, though I've been ignoring him, almost all the time lately. I don't know why he can't just take the hint and leave me alone, but he always comes back for more.

Shane is too bloody distracted with Sawyer to defend me now, and the only way I'll find someone to stick up for me would be if I was to sit with Kevin, and that's not going to happen. His friends are so immature I just want to shoot myself.

"Hey, Eloise?" Darius started, poking my leg with his foot, "Can I ask you something?"

I glanced up from my work, then rolled my eyes, returning to the assignment, half listening to him, "What?"

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

Oh for the love of... I grumbled discreetly about the moronic tendencies of Darius Zabini, then replied, "Yeah. Me and Will have been dating for a while now, actually."

His eyes twitched when I looked up, and I suddenly realized that lying may have actually been the better move.

"What do you mean... for a while?" he demanded, setting down his quill with enough force to cause Sawyer to stop flirting with my brother, their attention on us, "Why would you go out with him?"

"You don't know him," I sneered. "You don't get to tell me who I get to date, Zabini."

"The Hell I don't!" he exploded, standing up so quickly he knocked his chair over, "How could you do this to me?"

"Hey, back off," Shane growled, rising from his seat. "If I had to choose, you or my sister, Zabini, you know I'd choose her."

"Piss off and go back to flirting with her," Zabini emphasized, nodding to Sawyer. "It's the best thing you've got going for you."

Sawyer was forced to block Shane's path as my brother tried to take a swing at Darius, but before I could add in my two cents, there was a loud whistle from behind me, causing me to wince at the sheer high-pitched volume.

"Okay, ladies," Mr. D droned, stepping in to stop the fight, "I honestly don't understand why, oh why, you have to pick a fight during my shift... _My_ shift is my only time off from teaching you little snots... And you had to go and... ruin it by making me be a teacher again."

"Mr. D, he-"

He whistled once more, cutting Darius off, "Did I ask for a reason, Dolores? No. I don't care. Sit down and just shut the Hell up, before I hang you out the window, clear?"

"Perfectly," Shane grumbled, returning to his seat and taking a second attempt at his Potions essay.

Annoyed, I gathered up my things and departed from the library as quickly as I could, ignoring the icy look I received from Darius on the way out. Stupid jerk. I don't see why he likes me so much. Usually when girls express a hint of utter disgust a guy backs down.

I turned the corner, deciding it was a day to be spent in the Gryffindor Common Room, and all of a sudden, I spotted someone I never thought I'd see at Hogwarts.

"Will?" I called, squinting at his handsome figure emerging from the Headmaster's office, "Is that you?"

"Eloise!" he exclaimed, a smile suddenly appearing on his lips, "Blimey, I thought you had class, or I'd have come to see you sooner!"

I hurried down the hallway, running neatly into his open arms. I'd hug back, but my own arms were full to the brim with textbooks and paper. He gave me a sharp kiss on the lips, causing my cheeks to tint, and extracted the heavier textbooks from my pile, holding them with ease, "Missed you."

"I... missed you, too," I said slowly, finally regaining my wit. "Why... Why are you here?"

"Oh! I meant to tell you... I'm applying for gamekeeper!" he laughed, wrapping his free arm around my shoulder as we started walking, "The Ministry job is pointless, since I hardly make any money... and I need to keep up tuition fees, since dad stopped paying... and I figured I could work here once or twice a week. That way I can make a lot more money, and get to see you."

"Voldemort offered you money to work here?" I scoffed, skeptical to say the least, "How did you manage that?"

"Well, I worked with some American Quidditch teams over the summer," he explained, shrugging. "I did the bags and stuff... Gear handling, mostly... But I guess that looks good on a resume."

There's still something odd about it, but I figured it would just be better to leave things be. I mean, he's going to be able to see me more than once on the weekends, so that works perfectly fine for me.

I leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "Want to go sit by the lake?"

"Won't be too cold?"

"You can keep me warm, can't you?" I giggled, flushing when he slid his arm down around my waist and backed me into the wall, his lips coming down onto mine heatedly. My books fell to the ground, forgotten, and I thanked whoever was keeping the other students in class mentally, as I don't know if I could stand the cat-calls if we were spotted. My hands curled up around his neck, and I dragged him in closer.

Guess he can keep me warm...

* * *

Voldemort stared at the man in front of his desk, a lazy smile on his face, "I suppose thanks are in order."

"Nothing I wouldn't do for you, my Lord."

Voldemort snorted, reading into the man's mind like a novel, "Nothing you wouldn't do for revenge, you mean."

The man remained silent, his hands folded in front of him. Voldemort was right.

"Your capture of Granger and the Weasleys was excellent, I must admit," Voldemort continued, turning in his chair to stare out the window, noticing a pair of young teens sitting by the lake, cuddling. He rolled his eyes, "I suppose without your _real_ firsthand account of seeing her with Potter... We'd never have gotten her."

"Yes, my Lord."

"And finding his things at the Weasley shop... You are quite dedicated."

"Only to you."

Voldemort ground his teeth together, hating to be lied to, "Only for yourself... You know you're only doing this to hurt her."

"I do everything to hurt her, my Lord."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"Don't be smart with me, or you will suffer for it..." Voldemort hissed softly, sensing the man stiffen, "Braver men than you have sobbed under my wand... I'll happily make an example of you."

"I'm sorry, my Lord. I do it to hurt her... because she hurt me."

"And because you love her..." Voldemort mused, "You just don't understand how to show it."

He understood the human mind well. He had known love, but it was so long ago. A young lady named Elodie had captured his heart, a lady with more intelligence and submissiveness than any woman he'd ever met. But she lay forgotten in time now, dead for nearly twenty-five years. However, Voldemort did not forget the passion one felt when one loved someone, and couldn't quite punish the man for that.

"While I am pleased that you've successfully captured Granger, I still need Potter," he remarked, gazing out at the young couple by the lake. "Bring him to me... Or find out where he is. I don't care, but I want him. Understood?"

"In what condition?"

Voldemort smirked, then replied, "Alive... Not necessarily well."

"With pleasure."

Voldemort glanced over his shoulder, watching the man turn to leave. He was always good at figuring out when their talks were finished, and Voldemort liked that the man didn't feel the need to stay and chat.

"Mr. Thomas?" Voldemort called, his attention back out the window, "Don't fail me."

Dean sighed loudly, and Voldemort could hear the exhaust in the young man's tone, "I never would, my Lord."


	33. Some clearing up to do

Shane drummed his fingers on the bar counter as he and Sawyer waited for their lunch, chatting pleasantly about the recent Potions class they had just endured together.

It was so nice to just be able to sit and talk with Sawyer. Things had been so stressful at home lately. His aunt had been locked away in prison for almost two weeks at this point, his father was a nervous, irritable wreck, and there was still a man locked up in the basement, who, if found, could land each and every Malfoy family member behind bars.

His grandfather was still being rather sour, especially with Draco, and was becoming more reclusive. He had yet to understand what the Devil was wrong with the old man. The only person who had gotten close to him, aside from his grandmother, was Kevin, and that was only to do a little ship building in the attic. Even there, according to his younger brother, Lucius was nearly dead silent.

"Thank Merlin for a free period, eh?" Sawyer giggled, smiling as the waiter delivered their plate a chips drizzled in cheese, "Now we can take as long as we want with this..."

"I know," Shane chuckled, helping himself to a large chip drenched in melted cheese. He stuffed it in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully for a moment, then remarked. "I don't know why we get free periods, actually."

"Why's that?"

He watched her for a moment, noting that she didn't chew with a dainty hand over her mouth. It was nice to sit with a girl who was just as sloppy an eater as he was. Finally, he remembered she had actually asked him a question, and figured he may as well say something to end the silence, "Well, I mean... They've halved the amount of classes we get in a day, right?"

"I suppose... I've never been to Hogwarts before," she reminded him, grasping greedily at the set of cups that had finally been delivered, each brimming with Butterbeer, "but go on..."

"Well, we used to have eight or so classes a day, now we've got four," he stated quickly, fishing out a bit of chip that had gotten stuck to the roof of his mouth with his finger before continuing. "Anyway... If we've only got four classes a day, I don't understand why we have a free period..."

"Well, they load on the homework pretty thick, don't you think?" she mused, resting her head on her hand, which was currently propped up on the table. She picked at some of the smaller chips, popping one in her mouth, then chewing slowly, "I think the Dark Lord just wanted to give us some time off... And if we don't mind school so much, we'll get more people. Preferably girls."

"Eh?" he cocked an eyebrow at her suggestively, and she rolled her eyes.

With a slight shake of her head, she ground out, "For me to hang around with... I can't talk to you about... stuff."

"Why not?" he demanded, suddenly fearing he was forever going to be that 'good guy friend', who girls would want to open up to on random occasions with information he never, ever wanted to hear.

"Don't take it personally," she giggled, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "It's just, I... -"

"Sawyer?"

It was only when the male figure standing beside them finally interrupted their conversation did Shane notice he was there. He quickly studied his profile, and noted it was a boy from Ravenclaw in their year. He was at loss for the name, but he was sure it would come in a moment or so.

"Hey Joel," Sawyer greeted awkwardly, her smile fake. "What can I do for you?"

"Look... I don't normally do this," he started, scratching the back of his neck nervously, shifting from foot to foot, "but... Do you want to... hang out, sometime?"

"We already do," she laughed, rolling her eyes. "We hang out in Divination."

"I know, and that's awesome... But... You know..."

Oh Merlin. Shane resisted the urge to snort at Joel's futile attempts to ask Sawyer out. She either got the hint and was trying her best to let him down gently, or she hadn't gotten.

Both cases were amusing, to say the least.

"I was thinking we could go out, sometime?" Joel inquired, clearing his throat, his eyes hopeful and wide. It was getting past the point of pathetic, and Shane prayed Sawyer would ease them out of the situation gracefully, or else he may just start laughing out loud.

Sawyer smiled weakly, then shifted on her chair, "Look, Joel... You're really nice, but ... Uh..."

"She isn't interested, mate," Shane remarked before she could. "Sorry."

Joel's eyes darted up to Sawyer, and she shrugged, nodding slightly. Dejected, Shane watched as the boy slunk back over to his friends, sitting down with a huff.

"I guess you should be used to that by now," Shane mused, feeling a twinge of annoyance at the idea. "I'm sure blokes ask you out all the time."

Sawyer smiled awkwardly, fiddling with a dry chip, "Yeah... It's a little irritating, really. The guy I want to ask me out... hasn't."

He glanced up at her, and noticed she was staring directly at him, obviously trying to be as blunt as she could be.

Right. His suspicions were proven true; she fancied him. As much as he wanted to ask her out, he worried something terrible would happen with her, just like Amy. He spent years telling everyone he was a player, just to try and fool himself that he had lost someone close.

He didn't want to just leap into something. There still needed to be a bigger bond between himself and Sawyer, and while he hated to admit it, it would take time.

"Look, Sawyer," he started, staring pointedly at the counter top, rather then at her attractive face. "I... I'd like to ask you out, really."

"What's stopping you then?" she giggled, her cheeks suddenly tinting, which for some reason made him want to swell with pride. No, no he had to stay focused.

"I just want to be a friend first," he stated, smiling weakly at her, "You know... I don't want to force it."

"So you'd rather be friends than dating?" she repeated, as though clarifying it to herself, "Oh..."

Oh Gods. He hoped she wouldn't be completely offended by it, or get the wrong idea that he didn't like her.

"It's not that I don't want to date or anything, because I do," he remarked quickly, his voice cracking, "It's just... I want for you to know me, and me to know you, before we start... You know?"

"Yeah, I understand," she sighed, grasping a pair of chips and shoving them in her mouth, shrugging as she chewed. "Thanks."

He frowned, "For what?"

"Not... trying to get me into bed right away," Sawyer replied, looking away from him at their schoolmates seated around the pub. "It's nice not to be hit on everywhere you go."

Shane laughed and she glanced back at him, finally shooting him a genuine smile before continuing with her lunch, a content glint in her eye.

* * *

Draco flipped the page to his book harshly, and Lucius heard the faint sound of the bottom of the paper tearing, causing him to grit his teeth with annoyance, "Watch the pages, Draco."

"I'm not doing anything," his son replied testily, glaring down at his book.

It had been like this for a while between the pair, and Lucius wasn't too sure why he was letting it go on like this. The blame lay completely on his shoulders; Draco had done nothing. It was just this stupid peeve that was really beginning to get on his nerves.

"If you miss the damn girl so much, why don't you just go in and see her?" Lucius snarled, hating the way his voice sounded when he was in one of these moods, but pressing onward, "You're doing no good being moody here at home..."

"_I'm_ being moody?" Draco repeated, slamming his book shut and tossing it on the coffee table between them, "Have you listened to yourself lately, father?"

"Don't use that tone with me," Lucius sneered, closing his own book and putting it beside him on the couch. "You have no right to speak in such a way, Draco... What's happened to your manners?"

"I think I'm allowed to speak to you however I damn-well please!" Draco bellowed, instantly rising to his feet, his eyes narrowing, "You've been so horrible lately, to everyone... What's the bloody Hell's gotten into you?"

Lucius raised an eyebrow, then moved to his feet, reaching for his wand, which was currently hidden in his cane as it rested against the arm of the couch, "Don't make me put you in your place, boy... You've been inconsiderate to the children in your family ever since she came into your life-"

"That is _not_ true," Draco argued heatedly. "Ever since Hermione came, I've been much more attending... I've acted like a _real_ father! Can you say the same?"

"What are you getting at, boy?" Lucius laughed, "Are you trying to tell me I wasn't a good father?"

He was sure he was a good father. He was better than his father had been when Lucius was a boy; atleast _he_ was there for Draco.

"No, you were fine as a father," Draco ground out, his eyes flickering dangerously, "but you've been a despicable grandfather over the past little while... I think they're all scared of you!"

"Oh, go complain to your darling locked away in prison-"

"Daddy?"

Lucius froze, his eyes slowly drifting over to the petite figure of his youngest granddaughter gazing up at the pair. He cleared his throat, then sat back down on the couch, signaling that it was all up to Draco to deal with his daughter.

His son let out a weary sigh, then forced a small smile, "Yes, pumpkin, what is it?"

Pumpkin... How could people give such ridiculous names to their children? Narcissa liked to call Draco 'sweetheart', or 'darling', but Lucius refused to call him by anything but his name, even as a boy.

"I was wondering..." Annie started, twirling a curly piece of blonde hair around her small finger, "Did Aunt Hermione do something bad?"

"No... No, she didn't do anything wrong," Draco sighed, sweeping forward and hoisting her up, resting her on his hip. "She's a good person."

"Then why is she locked up?"

Draco glanced over at Lucius, but he merely raised a blonde eyebrow, then returned to his book, ignoring the spiteful expression his son sent to him. Annie suddenly began pelting his son with questions, and Draco swept out of the room, trying to answer each one the best he could without making Granger sound like some criminal who deserved to be locked away.

He wasn't too sure how to feel about Hermione in jail. On one hand, it was stupid and dangerous to mingle with Potter in public, but she was a good person, somewhere in there, and didn't deserve Azkaban just for speaking to someone. He winced at the thought of what would happen to himself should anyone find out he was hiding Potter away in his basement. The Dark Lord would _not_ be forgiving.

"Lucius Malfoy!" Narcissa snarled, storming into the library with determination in her stride, "I honestly don't know what's gotten into you... But I don't like it!"

Lucius smirked, noting the obvious fury in his wife's face, then calmly replied, "Dearest, I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking-"

"Don't play that game with me," she ordered sternly, folding her arms across her chest. "The dog came cowering to _me_ because of the shouting match you just had with your son! I'm surprised Annie wasn't in tears herself! Honestly... The lack of respect coming from you these days is really starting to get on my last nerve, Lucius."

"The dog came cowering to you?" Lucius mused, retrieving his book from the couch and opening it, trying to find the page where he left off, "Not a very good attack dog then, is he?"

"That's not funny," she hissed as he chuckled softly to himself, "and it's not the point, either."

He squinted down at the small font of the novel, noticing it was much more blurry than he was used to. Did he need glasses? Ugh. The very thought of it made him feel old and useless.

Before he could react, Narcissa snatched the book up out of his hand and slammed it closed, "Don't try to brush me off, Lucius."

"I'm not, dearest," he fired back, "I was going to back to reading... But you've lost my page again."

She pursed her lips, then took a seat across from him on the low table, his book resting on her lap, "Lucius, you've been really... different lately. What's wrong?"

The sheer difference in her voice, which was now calm and soft, made him almost admit the problem, but he refused to do it. He noticed she was studying his facial features, as though trying to determine what was bothering him without him actually saying it. Years of being a Death Eater in hiding, however, had taught him to mask his face, and he could tell the irritation that was coursing through his wife when she noticed he was staring back at her blankly.

"Lucius-"

"Cissa," he chuckled, pushing himself up and off the couch. "Nothing is wrong, I promise."

He turned to leave, but he felt her tug on his shift, her thin fingers wrapped in the soft fabric. Sighing, he looked down at his beautiful wife; she knew him too well.  
"We've been married far too long, Lucius," she mused, scooting over on the table to make room for him, "Sit... Now."

He held back a grumble and eased himself onto the table, letting out a sigh, "Well?"

"Well?" she repeated, turning her body towards his and taking her large hand in both of her small ones, "Well... Lucius, what's wrong with you? Lately you've been irritable at people for no reason, especially Draco. He's under a lot of stress, and you're just making it worse for him."

Lucius snorted, then rolled his eyes, "Oh come now, Cissa..."

"No, really," she pressed, her eyes pleading with him to listen. "He barely sleeps at night... I went down last night at three-"

"Why were you awake?"

He never recalled her stirring the previous night...

Narcissa cocked an eyebrow, "Well, I doubt you heard anything with all that snoring."

"When have I ever snored?"

"Must I answer that truthfully?"

"Fair enough," Lucius drawled, resisting the urge to roll his eyes again. "What was Draco doing up?"

"The poor thing looked as though he hadn't slept in days," she continued, shaking her head, a motherly worry in her tone. "He looks ill, Lucius... It's really hard on him having Hermione locked up. He wouldn't even talk to me about it when I asked him."

Why would she need to ask? She had come to see _him_ in prison all those years ago, despite him clearly telling her to stay at home with Draco. Didn't she remember how horrible it was?

"So Draco was shaken by Azkaban," Lucius stated, feeling himself tremble at the mention of the jail. "Why should I go easy on him? He's acting like a damn fool in love, and it's too much-"

He stopped, sensing he had revealed too much. Narcissa seemed shocked for a moment, then frowned, "What do you mean 'a fool in love'? Lucius, as I recall, you did some pretty ridiculous things when you were trying to get me to marry you..."

"Yes, but that was different," he grumbled, suddenly looking away from her, "I... It's just not the same. I was madly in love with you."

Oh, he remembered those times. They were so difficult when she went through a stage of completely hating him. Thankfully, he finally claimed her as his wife, and that was that. There were still more troublesome times ahead, but they managed to last this long.

"How is it different?"

"He... I always see them when she lived here," Lucius admitted, feeling awkward all of a sudden, "and they are all over each other... and it's young love... and... and he doesn't deserve... It's..."

"Lucius," Narcissa giggled, her eyes widening. "You're jealous of Hermione and Draco, aren't you?"

Damn!

"No, no I'm not," he stated firmly, trying to ignore her small giggles. "There's nothing to be jealous over... We're married, and they aren't. We win."

"You _are_ jealous!" she laughed, standing up and tossing the book on the couch, then swinging herself around so she was seated on his lap, "Lucius, darling, there's nothing to be jealous of!"

"That's what I'm saying," he muttered weakly, "I'm not..."

He trailed off as she started kissing up his neck, her fingers wrapping themselves in the depth of his blonde locks. Lucius grinned and curved his own arm around her small waist, pulling her in a little closer, causing her to squeal with the sudden movement. She tilted her chin up to him, waiting for the kiss he had desired to give her all afternoon. In one swift motion, his lips were pressed heatedly against hers, his arms hauling her in even closer.

Gods, he loved her.

* * *

"So, what happened to aunt Hermione then?" Annie demanded as Draco walked her out of the library, his mind still muddled from his spat with his father, "Loo said she was in prison."

Draco made a face; he would have to remind his daughter to watch what she was saying around Annie, since the little girl was likely to take it the wrong way. He tried to keep his mind focused on the task at hand, and had to step out of the way to avoid colliding with his mother, who was clearly on a warpath toward the library. She shot him a scolding look as she passed, and had no doubt been the other member of the Manor to hear him and his father bickering.

They'd never hear the end of it if his father didn't sort it out properly.

"Daddy," Annie whined, suddenly tugging on a clump of his blonde hair. "Are you listening to me?"

Draco frowned, then pulled his hair away from her tiny fist and set her down, "Yes, Annie, I'm listening to you."

"Then why haven't you answered?"

"I'm thinking," he replied to his quick-witted little girl, "Aunt Hermione _is_ in prison, Eloise was right."

Her blue eyes widened, and Draco ran a hand through his hair, "But... But she's not a bad person."

Annie frowned, and Draco could sense her little mind trying to comprehend what he had just said, "But why is she in prison then? Don't all bad people go to prison?"

"No, definitely not," Draco said sharply, remembering having similar thoughts when his father was locked away. "Aunt Hermione isn't supposed to be in there... It's some sort of mistake."

"Then why won't she come home?"

Bloody Hell. Draco shrugged, "I don't know. They're... talking to her."

"Why?"

He paused, trying to think of something that wouldn't make Annie scared of the man in the basement, or think Hermione was a horrid human being, "They just want to ask her a few things."

"About what?"

"Look, the government keeps making mistakes, that's all," Draco ground out, a little annoyed that she wouldn't let it go. Then again, she was only a five year old girl.

"Isn't the bad man in charge of the government?" she inquired, obviously proud of herself for knowing something about the political system, "He's stupid if he is."

"Annie," he said sharply, his eyes narrowing. "You are not allowed to speak about him like that, understood?"

She shifted her weight from foot to foot, obviously quieted by his scolding, then nodded silently.

Draco groaned softly, trying to find the best way to tell Annie about Hermione, while not making her, or Voldemort, look completely vile. Having children was so much more difficult then anyone wanted to admit. At least his older ones didn't ask constant questions; they understood hints when they were dropped.

His eyes suddenly flickered up at the noise coming out of the kitchen, and noticed a house elf carrying a small try with Harry's lunch on it. It was late in the afternoon, not that it really mattered, and he was sure Potter was starting to get hungry.

Gods, they were treating him well, for a prisoner. Draco rolled his eyes, but an idea hit him; a way to get rid of Annie!

It's not that he didn't love her, but he didn't have all the answers at that specific point in time, and needed to really sit down and think about how to explain Hermione's situation to the family.

"Look, Annie... Why don't you take Potter's lunch down to him?" Draco suggested, nodding to the house elf, "I think he likes you more than the house elf."

Annie's cheeks tinted, much to Draco's disgust, and she giggled, "Really?"

Oh bloody Hell... His youngest daughter had a crush on Harry sodding Potter.

He fumbled for the right words, then managed to get out, "Sure... Anything is better than a house elf, pumpkin."

Her face fell, and he suddenly knew he had said the wrong thing. How could a five year old fancy some early-thirty something bloke anyway? Draco rolled his eyes, then added, "You're much prettier than a house elf, so no wonder he'll like you."

She grinned and toddled over to the house elf, snatching the tray out of his hands rudely, then continuing along toward the basement door, staring at it pointedly for a moment. Draco smiled, then sauntered across the hall, pushing the house elf out of the way as he did, then opening it for his daughter, "Don't be too long."

"Right, Daddy."

His eyes lingered on her as she carefully made her way down the large steps, her little legs just making it down each one without sending her tumbling down into the darkness.

"Right, Daddy."

* * *

Harry's eyes flickered up to the staircase at the sound of the smallest Malfoy girl. She was gingerly making her way down the steps, his lunch tray clutched between her small hands.

He wondered why the Malfoys were still keeping him here. A week must have passed, atleast, since he had been chained in the basement of their manor, and he was slowly going out of his mind. Narcissa had brought down a few novels for him to amuse himself with. However, he was _not_ Hermione, and would never be content with just books to keep him company. While the weather wasn't exactly perfect, it still would have been nice to get out on a broom sometime this year. He had been drifting around so much, mainly using outdated Muggle transport, and had been unable to find a good broom for months now.

When he had broken in to the Malfoy Manor, he noticed several fine brooms just lined up along the back wall, no sort of wall to protect them from the elements. Not that it mattered if their brooms were ruined; Harry was sure dear Draco would just go out and buy more.

"Hi, Harry!" the girl squealed, her face lighting up when his head turned to look at her, "I brought you lunch! We had sandwiches today... Daddy made mine wrong, again, but I ate it anyway."

"How thoughtful of you," he chuckled, sitting up and crossing his legs, his back pressed up against the wall. "I don't mean to be rude... But I don't remember your name."

"I'm Annie," she sighed, rolling her eyes dramatically at him. "I see you all the time... How can you not know my name?"

Harry held in the urge to snap something sarcastic back at her, but he forced himself to remember she was just a child, and even Ron's children had snarky attitudes at this age. It was all up to the parent to teach them to behave properly.

"I'm sorry," he said finally, his stomach growling at the sight of the steaming bowl of soup and fresh hunk of bread sitting on the tray, "I'm a little forgetful sometimes."

"That's okay," she giggled, rocking back and forth on her heels after she set the tray down on the floor in front of him. "Don't your wrists hurt?"

Harry glanced down at his shackled wrists. Yes, they bloody well hurt. There was enough chain for him to get up, move around for a few feet, but that was it. The skin underneath was raw, and he almost didn't want to take them off, mainly out of fear that the skin would just stick up into them and try to keep them on forever.

"Well... They kind of hurt," Harry admitted, shrugging his shoulders as he picked up the piece of bread, ripping it in half. "I'll live."

Annie watched him for a moment, lightly chewing on her bottom lip. He was tempted to just start eating, but the look of curiosity on her cute face caused him to pause and ask, "Can I help you with something? Do I have anything on my face?"

She giggled shrilly, then shook her head, the blonde curls whipping about, "No... No, I want to ask you something."

She wanted to ask _him_ something? Out of all the times Annie had come down to see him, she rarely wanted to stay and chat. Usually she was accompanied by Draco, and was herded back upstairs once the blonde man had dropped off Harry's tray.

He enjoyed the irony of Draco serving him food.

"Go on then," Harry pressed, folding his hands in his lap to show he wasn't going to be distracted with the food, "What's on your mind?"

She sighed, then began to sway from side to side, as though a nervous habit was kicking in, "Why is my aunt in prison?"

Harry froze; why was Hermione in prison? Hadn't this been explained to her?

But then again, knowing Draco, he could almost see why the poor girl looked so confused.

"Well," Harry sighed, trying to word it so she would understand. "See, Voldemort doesn't like me."

"Why not?"

Harry frowned, "Well... We've just never gotten along, I suppose. He hated me from the moment I was born, I suppose, and I the same. But... Hermione wasn't allowed to talk to me-"

"Why?" she inquired, her eyes widening. Harry kept his patience, his eyes gentle, "Let me finish, Annie."

"Sorry."

"Because Voldemort hates me, Hermione isn't allowed to see me, and she did," he continued, his stomach knotting when he finally admitted the real reason she was locked away, after days of denying it, "and now they want to know where I am... So they are... asking her. I don't think she'll tell, otherwise your dad could get in a lot of trouble."

"Are you like the bad man?" Annie asked, folding her arms, her eyes narrowing. For some reason, Harry feared she would suddenly reach out and kick him, or something.

He shook his head, his smile still intact, "No. No, we're a lot different."

"So when does Aunt Hermione come home then?" she demanded, her forehead furrowing, "Don't they just ask her one question?"

Harry shrugged, "I don't know, Annie... I think she'll be home soon, so try not to worry about her."

"Okay, but-"

"Annie, it's time for you to leave now."

The small girl turned back, and Harry finally noticed Draco standing at the bottom step, his eyes cold.

"But, Daddy-"

"Now, Annie," Draco ordered, pointing up the staircase. She let out an annoyed huff, then stormed past him up the stairs, barely shooting her father a look as she went.

Harry grinned, then dug into his meal, dipping the bread into his warm soup, "She's going to hate you if you don't start speaking to her like a child."

Draco's glare returned to him, and he snarled, "What?"

"Look... She wanted to know about Hermione, so I told her," Harry stated, wincing when he took a bite of the warm bread, and soup almost burning his mouth. After a moment of chewing, he added, "I just said it in terms a child can understand."

"Does it look like I care what you do, Potter?" Draco sneered, folding his arms over his chest and leaning back against the wall, "Don't tell my daughter things... That's my job."

"One you aren't doing very well."

Draco clenched his jaw, clearly biting back something he wanted to say, so Harry pressed on, taking whatever chances he could to annoy his old school enemy, "Anyway... On a different topic, shouldn't you be nice to me?"

Draco snorted, cocking an eyebrow, "Why the bloody Hell would I do that, Potter?"

"Well, I _am_ Hermione's best friend," Harry mused, picking up his spoon and swirling it through his soup. "Shouldn't you suck up to me? She always tries for my approval on the blokes she dates... My opinion counts, Malfoy."

Draco's lip curled in disgust, and he stalked back up the stairs, slamming the door with all the evident force he could muster.

Harry snorted loudly, then continued on with his lunch, shaking his head.

* * *

Thank God school is over for the day.

Will got the job, much to my pleasure, and said he will start working next week. His schooling, since he's at a private school, is only on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, which means I'll get to see him Monday and Wednesday, plus on the weekend!

He's not in today, which is Wednesday, and thankfully it's my last day at the castle. Tomorrow we're off to work with Uncle Severus, which I can tolerate. The teachers at school, especially today, all seemed to be in crabby moods.

I had decided to stay after for a little while, alone, to work on a Divination essay. I miss when we only had to write Dream Journals, but this new teacher keeps making us write super long essays on ancient tactics for Divining.

Dad even admits the class is useless, yet we're still forced to take it.

However, after an hour of pointlessly staring at a book that I barely got any information out of, I figured it was time to just head home. I mean, you never know where Voldemort could be lurking, and I don't think it's a good idea to stop and have a chat.

Ever.

I packed up my things, but just as I was heading for the central Floo area, I was stopped by a certain Darius Zabini, overbearing and all.

"Hey, Eloise," he greeted, stepping directly in front of me, a monotone voice used to address me. "Can we have a chat?"

"No... I need to get going," I stated, adjusting my grip on the thick textbook in my hands. "Move."

"No. No, we're going to have a talk," he informed me, ripping to book away and tossing it on the floor, a thunderous 'bang' echoing throughout the empty hallway.

"Go easy on the book, Zabini," I hissed. "It's expensive-"

"How could you get a boyfriend?" he demanded, causing me to freeze, "How could you?"

"You don't get a say in my personal life," I snarled, trying to step around him and get my book. "I don't want to date _you_, and that's all you need to know."

Why can't this guy take a hint? I've never liked him, not even as a person! He annoys me, he's rude, and he is pushy!

He grasped my shoulders suddenly and shoved me back into the wall, my shoulder bag tumbling down to the ground. I let out a shocked puff of air, and my eyes watered from my head hitting the rock wall slightly.

I tried to push myself off, but he held one hand down firmly on one of my shoulders, keeping me in place. I glared up at him, "Get the fuck off of me, Zabini, or I swear-"

"We're not finished talking," he sneered, "and until then, you can keep quiet... I'll be the one talking."

"Not much of a conversation then, is it?"

"Shut up!"

His grip dug painfully into my shoulder, and I bit back a whimper, my eyes purposefully avoiding his. He'd never really been angry with me before, and I was starting to worry that he was going to make his threats come true.

"I told you not to embarrass me," he whispered, leaning in a little closer to me, "and what do you do? Find some fuck-up to be your boyfriend?"

"Piss off," I scoffed, pushing at his arm. "It's none of your-"

"It is my business!" he roared, shouting into my face, which caused me to flinch. Before I could respond, however, a thick hand rammed down on Darius' shoulder, and he was flung away from me, losing his balance and toppling onto the ground.

Shocked, I stared up at the face of Mr. D. His breathing was heavy, and his eyes narrowed as he turned to haul Darius to his feet, pushing him harshly into the other wall, "Don't you ever, ever, touch a girl like that... Do you hear me?"

"Sir, I-"

"That's not what I asked!"

I hastily gathered up my books, numb from the situation, then tore off down the hall, my eyes wide.


	34. Taking one for the team

There was no point in backing out now. I mean, even if I get embarrassed or whatnot, it'll be worth it in the end.

I had woken up extra early this morning in order to pay someone, Mr. D, a visit. Normally I wouldn't spend any extra time around the man unless someone important was being held hostage and the situation was a _must_... Normally I run out of class as soon as he finishes scribbling the homework out on the board. Thankfully, I'm not the only one. No one admits it, but I think Shane is the only one who bonded with him, and it was only because they got to know each other during Shane's stay in Salem.

Grandmother inquired if I was feeling ill when I stumbled down to breakfast extra early this morning, but I merely replied that I needed to go off to Hogwarts to retrieve a book I had accidentally left behind the night before. I didn't tell anyone that Darius tried to hurt me, and I can't really understand why.  
Perhaps it's because I'll think they'll think I'm weak, and I'll never be allowed to do anything by myself again. Who knows?

Mainly, I just want to go in and thank Mr. D for all the trouble he went through to help me, considering I thought he hated my guts.

I stared at his hunched over figure as he crossed something out on a random student's piece of homework, then grumbled something softly to himself, obviously annoyed. He tends to talk to himself when he grades papers. Sometimes he does it during class, and we all just sort of look at each other, exchanging knowing glances before ignoring his discontented mutterings.

Hesitantly, I raised my fist to the wooden doorframe, giving it a few good knocks before stepping back, waiting for him to call me in.

"What do you want, Barbie?"

I frowned, then moved into the room, "Barbie? Why-"

"Because of the blonde hair," he stated, cutting me off, "and your intelligence."

I stood silent, not really sure how to take that. Was I supposed to be insulted? He rolled his eyes and sat up a little straighter, "Why are you here? You don't go to school today... Today is my _good_ day, and somehow it's already ruined."

He made scary little speeches to me all the time and I should be used to them by now, but am somehow always quieted whenever they happen. I shifted from foot to foot, then strode over to his desk, standing directly in front of him before just letting my mouth run on its own, "Look... I want to, you know, thank you for... helping me yesterday. I didn't think you'd really... stay and ... help."

Well done, Eloise.

He rolled his eyes, finally setting down his quill, and with a rather restrained voice replied, "Oh Hell, Barbie... You think I was just going to stand there and let some little punk like Zabini get a free groping session?"

My cheeks tinted and he pressed on, his voice a little freer now, "What kinda person would do that, anyway? I did what any decent person, and teacher, would have done if they saw what was going on."

Since when have Death Eaters ever been decent people? The thought ran through my head over and over again in a matter of seconds, and though I wanted to say it, I held it in. My silence obviously gave way to some sort of obscene thought, which Mr. D caught onto. He smirked, "Why the sudden silence?"

"Do you honestly want to know?" I inquired, hoping he would decline so I could just leave.

However, he continued to watch me, amusement in his eyes, "Now I'm curious... Spill it, Barbie."

I began picking at my nails, a little worried about how he would take my explanation, "Well, okay... We hate each other-"

"Hate's a strong word."

"Fine," I grumbled, "We don't like each other."

"That's better."

"Let me finish!" I hissed, irritated with the constant interruptions, "Anyway... I just thought you'd keep walking because you didn't like me... And I didn't think you'd care because of your... job."

"Being a teacher?"

Oh, now he was just being a smartass. I gritted my teeth, "No... The whole Death Eater... thing."

"Ah."

He brought a hand to his chin, apparently thinking, then asked, "Are you aware that your father is a Death Eater?"

I shrugged, knowing what Dad was, "Yes."

"And do you think he would have just walked past if he saw that happening to someone?"

I glanced down at the floor, unable to stare him down like he was doing to me, "Well, no, but everyone's different-"

"Exactly, Barbie, use your head," he snapped, snatching up his quill again, "I'm a good person, despite the mark on my skin. And besides, I don't dislike you."

My eyes widened and I looked up, but he clucked his tongue at me, "Easy girl... I don't dislike you; I enjoy messing with that young, fresh mind... Hoping to emotional scar you for life, if I'm lucky."

I glared at him, then took note of the time, knowing people would start arriving for classes soon, "Whatever. It's not working, and I said everything I wanted to say. See you next week."

He snorted as I turned away, stalking out of the classroom. Despite my moodiness with the man, there was a deep seeded contentment in my stomach, but I couldn't figure out why.

* * *

"There will be another person joining me," Ginny stated to the waiter as he placed an empty glass in front of her, then proceeded to fill it with water, "She should be along shortly."

"Very good, Madame."

The lovely redhead sat back in her seat, staring at the empty one before her with a sigh. She and Narcissa had decided to have a small luncheon that day, just to get away from everything. Ginny had owled the older witch the night before, stating that if she spent another full day with her husband, alone, she may just have to kill him. It was then Narcissa suggested going out for a lunch date to soothe her nerves, Narcissa's treat. And when Narcissa Malfoy offered anyone anything, they never refused her.

She and Severus had been bickering so much lately, and it was almost becoming a routine. They would wake up, tempers at bay, and a fight would erupt over breakfast. Then, they would spend the day apart, see each other for dinner, and everything would be civilized, until either of them brought up the fight from the morning, and it would all break up again.

Ginny was still miffed that Severus refused to grant her 'permission' to see Harry. It wasn't as if she was going to run off with him into the sunset! She just wanted to see her best friend and make sure he wasn't hurt. Narcissa promised to keep him comfortable, but Lucius _and_ Draco had a distinct disliking for the man, and Ginny knew her older friend would have trouble winning a fight against the two of them, even if she was the head of the household.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Ginevra," Narcissa stated as she floated over to the table, her elegant blonde hair twirled up into a loose bun. "Annie simply wouldn't leave me alone, and I had to trick her into going to see Lucius in the attic."

"Well... Won't he be pleased about that?" Ginny giggled as the two kissed each other's cheeks, then settled into their seats, "Don't worry... I've only been here a few minutes myself."

"Wonderful," she breathed, leaning back as the waiter filled up her glass, "I've always loved coming here... Lucius and I were the first people to be members... We just used to come so often the management saw it fit that they do something nice for us."

Ginny smirked; the Malfoys had enough money to make _anyone_ do anything nice for them.

After placing their orders, Ginny almost felt uncomfortable under Narcissa's unforgiving gaze. The woman had a way for making people want to tell her something before she found out on her own, just to save them the trouble of explaining why they never told her in the first place.

"So, what has Severus Snape done this time?" Narcissa demanded, raising a perfect eyebrow, "Is it still the children spat?"

Ginny sighed, swirling the water around in her glass before taking a quick sip, "That gets thrown in there every once and a while, I suppose... But... It's not the main reason, for once."

"Oh?" Narcissa mused, her eyes widening slightly in a discreet fashion, "Then this is something serious, I suppose. What is it?"

"Well... It's stupid really."

"Nonsense," the blonde chuckled, waving her hand at Ginny, showing off her diamond wedding band for the briefest of moments. "Nothing that makes a wife angry is stupid... It's usually the fault of the husband anyway."

Ginny laughed humourlessly, and then downed the rest of her drink, setting the empty glass away from her, "Well... It's just... He won't let me see Harry."

"He won't?" Narcissa affirmed, her eyebrows knitting together, "That's a little ridiculous... Not even with him as an escort?"

"I thought he would have wanted to gloat me in front of Harry, really," Ginny admitted, her cheeks tinting. "Because... Well, you know. But even when I suggested that... He acted like I had told him to set me in Harry's lap and leave us to snog for an hour."

Narcissa snorted and placed a dainty hand in front of her mouth, smothering her small giggles until they completely subsided, "Oh, Ginny... You still have a way with words."

"At least you find it funny," Ginny muttered. "Severus thinks it's annoying."

"Severus wants to be the man of the house," Narcissa agreed, rolling her eyes, "but he married a woman who won't allow that, so I don't understand why he still tries to assert authority."

"Doesn't Lucius to the same?"

"Oh, I let him," Narcissa giggled, suddenly seeming rather childish. "It's entertaining to let him think he has all the power, then take it away when he least expects it."

Doing that with Severus would have been wishful thinking. Unlike Lucius, Severus wasn't a man to back down with the threat of not having a shag in the near future. Much to Ginny's discontent, most of her punishments toward him usually affected them both, almost to the point in which Ginny regretted punishing him in the first place. He was such a difficult man, sometimes, and there were days she wished her husband would just let things go, rather than let the fight persist until he had gained something.

"Though I can see how he would be a little jealous," Narcissa said abruptly, bringing Ginny from her thoughts. "You and Harry did date... and while your current marital status is fine, despite the fighting, it wasn't always; he knows you were forced into the marriage, and still thinks that you want out of it."

"Bleeding Hell," Ginny growled, rolling her hazel eyes. "We've been married for almost fifteen years, and never once have I ever thought of actually leaving him!"

Narcissa cocked an eyebrow, and Ginny exhaled sharply, "Well, fine... Maybe once or twice, but I'd never go through with it, whether it was with Harry or not!"

Didn't Severus remember when Dean offered to take her away? She had said no, hadn't she? She had stayed with him!

"True, but in that way, Severus is a lot like Lucius and Draco," Narcissa put forth, taking a sip of her water. "Lucius is deathly jealous of other men, all the time. I find it tiresome, sometimes, since I only have my heart for him... But he still gets in a snit when I comment on how handsome a man looks at a party. It's not that I'm attracted to him, I'm just saying the man looks decent, yet Lucius still gets hot and bothered."

"And Draco?"

"Come now..." Narcissa laughed, her eyes dancing, "Like father, like son... They are far too alike than either will admit. Draco was rather testy when Hermione spent all that time speaking with your brothers one afternoon when they were furniture shopping. Hermione doesn't fancy either of them, yet she spent almost an hour talking to them. Men are funny in that way."

"Men are ignorant in that way," Ginny noted, leaning back and allowing their waiter to place her hot soup in front of her. "What should I do then? I still want to see Harry."

"Well, I don't want to be in hot water with Severus," Narcissa sighed, snatching up the pepper shaker and tapping it over her own soup. "So I won't simply allow you to come over. However... I'll talk to him and try to get him to understand your point of view."

"I would really appreciate that, Narcissa," Ginny admitted, running her large silver spoon through the steaming liquid, "but please do it soon... I miss Harry so, so much."

Narcissa shot her a look, then dug into her soup, pleasantly changing the subject.

* * *

"Grandfather!" Annie squealed, causing Lucius to jump and nearly blotch the ship model he had been working on. He glanced over his shoulder and watched the little blonde girl bounce in, a silly grin on her face, "I missed you!"

"We saw each other at breakfast," Lucius remarked bluntly, turning away from her and rolling his eyes, a smile threatening to break on his lips. "How can you miss me?"

"I just did," she stated, stopping beside him and eyeing his ship. "Whatcha doing?"

Trying to get some peace and quiet was what he was really trying to do. With an irritated sigh, Lucius proceeded to explain that he was building a ship model, one that he had been working on for months now, and was nearly finished.

Annie stood up on the tip of her toes and wrinkled her nose, "Looks messy."

"It's just the glue drying," he explained, picking up his spreader, which was really just a useless piece of wood, and moving some of the glue out to make it even. "You won't see if once it's dry."

"Oh. Can I touch it?"

"Not yet, Annie."

"Why not?"

"Because the glue is _drying_."

"So?"

"So..." Lucius let out a groan, "So, if you touch it, it will fall apart."

"No it won't."

"Yes, yes it will."

"How do you know?"

How did he know? A smile finally touched Lucius' lips. Draco always used to toddle all the way upstairs and watch as he worked on his ships, and once, when Lucius had turned away to get another part, Draco merely touched the thing. However, the slight touch was all the fragile ship needed, and the entire thing fell to bits. Draco was naturally in a state, more worried that Lucius would hurt him for ruining the model than anything.

It was just so funny to watch the boy try and explain what had happened that Lucius merely brushed it aside with a laugh, and fixed what he could with his wand. He wasn't a wizard for nothing.

"Your father broke one of my models when he was little," Lucius summarized, "and it was because he touched it when the glue wasn't dry."

"But Daddy's a boy," Annie giggled, rolling her eyes and leaning a little closer to the model. "Boys are clumsy... But this stuff smells bad."

"Don't inhale too much of it," he warned, finally removing his gloves and setting them on the worktable. "You'll get an awful headache."

"Okay."

He stared down at the little girl, wondering why on Earth, of all the people in the house, she had come up to see him. Draco was downstairs working on a few documents for his job, and Cissa had to be _somewhere_ within the vicinity.

"Where's your Grandmother?" Lucius inquired, hoping Annie would remember his wife and go pester her.

Annie shrugged, "She told me to come find you... She said she was going out to lunch with Auntie Ginny."

Oh, Gods - he had forgotten that was today. That meant the only way to get rid of the little girl was to pawn her off onto Draco. However, his son was busy with work, and wouldn't have time for her anyway.

"Grandfather?" Annie trilled, bringing Lucius back into the moment, "Can we do something?"

"What would you like to do?"

"Bring Mr. Harry out for a walk..." she suggested, rocking back and forth on her feet, "He's been downstairs in the dark basement all this time-"

"Out of the question, Annie," Lucius replied sternly, shaking his head. "He's not allowed to leave the basement."

"Why?"

"Because he broke into our house and held your sister hostage," he answered smoothly. "We don't want to treat him nicely after that."

"No, but he's a nice man," she remarked, smiling up at him sweetly. "Please? Just around here?"

"No, Annie, and that's final. I need some water."

He turned away, slowly marching toward the door, and he felt her right at his heels, taking obvious care not to step on them as they walked.

"But we don't have to be nice to him!" Annie argued, hoping down each stair as they descended from the attic loudly, "Jus' a walk!"

"Someone would need to take him," Lucius laughed dryly, hoping to shut her up soon, "and I don't like him, Annie... I wouldn't take him."

"I would!" she assured him, tugging on the back of his shirt as they walked, "and Bo could come too, so if he tried to run, Bo could chase him down!"

'Bo' barely came up to Lucius' thigh, and the thing didn't seem to be gaining any muscle; more fat than anything.

"I'm sure your dog would catch him," Lucius sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "However, we don't want to take any chances."

"Grandfather!" she whined, stomping her foot, "I want Mr. Harry to go for a walk!"

"No, Annie. He's not allowed."

"He should be! He's a nice old man!"

Old? What was Lucius then? Ancient?

"Annie-"

"Please?" she whined once more, tugging harshly on the bottom of his shirt, "Please?"

Oh for the love of - Lucius grumbled something softly to himself, then leaned down, hoisting up the squirming little girl and placing her over his shoulder, much to her squealing delight.

"What are you doing?" she giggled as he stalked down another set of stairs, finding Draco's study with little difficulty, "Where are we going?"

Draco's head snapped up as Lucius strode in, dumping the little body on his desk, "Enjoy."

* * *

Draco watched as his father deposited Annie on his desk, then stalked out with an air of smugness in his step. Sighing, Draco closed all of his books and put his quills away, smiling at the little girl on his desk, "Hello, Pumpkin... Were you pestering your Grandfather?"

"Yes," she giggled, making him smile, "but he was being silly!"

"Was he now?" Draco chuckled, pushing some of her blonde hair out of her face, "Tell Daddy what he was being silly about."

"Lots of things," Annie droned, rolling her large eyes. "He wouldn't let me touch his stupid ship because he said it would break!"

Ah yes, Draco remembered _that_ little scenario pretty clearly.

"I can understand that," Draco muttered, grinning sheepishly down at her as she stared at him through scolding eyes. "What else was he being silly about?"

"Well..." she started, picking at her finger, "I want to take Mr. Harry outside for a walk."

"Out of the question!"

"You sound just like him!" she shrieked, poking at his arm harshly, "I want to take Mr. Harry outside because he's been in the dark basement for a long time now-"

"A week and a bit hasn't been a long time."

"It's been longer than that," she argued, her eyes narrowing. "Auntie Hermione's been in prison longer than that."

There was a lump suddenly in Draco's throat, and for a moment he couldn't speak. Gods, his Hermione was still locked away somewhere, and there was honestly nothing he could do! He missed her so much, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to sleep at night.

"Potter is not coming out of that basement," Draco said firmly, hoping he had put his foot down on the whole issue, "and that's that."

Much to Draco's horror, Annie's eyes welled up, and a pair of massive tears spilled down her cheeks as she let out a sob. He tried to soothe her as quickly as he could, but that proved fruitless, and Annie began to cry louder, pushing him away each time he tried to hug her.

"Please, what's the matter?" he asked, his voice at a higher pitch than usual.

Annie let out a shrill cry as he walked around his desk, kneeling in front of her, "I-I w-want Mr. H-Harry to g-go for a w-walk!"

If that was the only way to pacify her, Draco let out a sigh, "Okay, okay... Let's go get Potter and take him for a very, very quick walk. All right?"

"Okay," she muttered through a few dramatic sniffles. "Okay. That's fine."

Draco rolled his eyes and she hopped off his desk, grasping his hand and pulling him out of the office. She was rather good at this, Draco noted, and he was definitely going to have to toughen up, lest he spoil her into some little brat who always got what she wanted. But she was a Malfoy, after all, and should be allowed to get whatever she wanted.

They moved in silence, other than a few of Annie's sniffles, into the basement, and Draco smirked at Harry's rather bewildered expression upon seeing the pair.

"Hello, Potter," Draco sneered, lifting up his daughter and setting her on his hip, "My Annie thinks you could use some sun, and wants to take you for a walk."

"As long as I don't have to wear a leash..." he mused, eyeing the pair of Malfoys curiously.

Annie giggled loudly, which instantly reminded Draco of her little crush on the man, "No! Bo gets to wear the leash... You're a human, silly!"

"Oh, that's right," Harry drawled, winking at his daughter, "I forgot, for a moment."

Draco ground his teeth together, annoyed that that damn Potter was spurring Annie on, and finally set her down, turning her around to face him, "Why don't you run upstairs and find Bo, then put his leash on so we can go... I'll get Mr. Harry, all right?"

"Yes, Daddy," she giggled, kissing him on the cheek and rushing past him toward the staircase, bounding up and nearly tripping over one of the middle stairs.

He returned his attention to the prisoner chained to his basement wall, his smile falling, "Look, Potter... If I didn't love my daughter, I wouldn't do this, right? So don't think it's because I'm warming up to you, or something."

"I wouldn't think you were warming up to me, Malfoy, don't worry," Harry snorted, his hands falling limply to his side as Draco removed the chains. "It would be nice to see outside again... You have such a thoughtful little daughter."

Draco eyed him as Harry rose, and raised his wand to him, "You know she bloody well fancies you, don't you?"

"I find it endearing."

"I find it repulsive."

Harry grinned, then took a ginger step toward him, "Am I allowed to walk unescorted, or are you going to drag me everywhere."

"Well, you've showered," Draco noted, remembering how his mother brought Harry up for an hour long toilet break that morning, "but I still don't know if I want to touch you."

"Suits me."

"Fine... But if you run..." Draco warned, lowering his wand slightly, "I will just kill you, whether Hermione hates me for it or not."

"I'll be sure to tell her that the next time I see her," Harry snickered, walking with more of a confident step toward the staircase. "Shall we?"

"Lead the way."

"It's your house, Malfoy."

"Go up the bloody stairs, Potter!"

He hated how the stupid man brought out the worst in him. It was bad enough that Harry somehow always managed to outsmart him, but now he was going to be around his family, and he didn't need his children to see him getting thwarted by his old school enemy.

The moment the two appeared at the top of the stairs, Draco froze upon spying his father marching down another set of stairs, a watering can in his hand.

"Hello, father," Draco greeted, his eyes narrowing, "I must thank you for dropping Annie at my disposal... Really... "

"She's your daughter," Lucius snapped. "You should..."

He trailed off when he finally spotted Harry, then returned his gaze back to Draco, "You're pathetic, you know that?"

"My thoughts exactl-"

"Shut up, Potter," Lucius snarled, cutting Harry off. "I didn't think Annie had you wound that tightly around her finger... But apparently I've been proven wrong."

Draco folded his arms across his, then snorted, "Well, it isn't sad that I do anything my five year old daughter asks... However, you are a grown man who lives under his wife's thumb; she told you to water the plants, didn't she?"

Lucius' smug grin tightened, and he held up the metal canister, "For your information... I wanted to water the plants."

"Of course you did, father," Draco snorted, knowing he had won this round, "and I _want_ to take Potter for a walk."

"Glad to hear it," Lucius sneered, stalking off toward another room as Annie came running down the stairs after him, Bo at her side with his leash on.

"Look, Grandfather!" she squealed, showing him Bo and Harry, "We're going for a walk!"

"Huzzah," Lucius drawled sarcastically before retreating into the library, no doubt to nurse his battered ego. With a triumphant smile, Draco motioned for Annie to lead the walk, which she did with pleasure. The two men walked behind the small girl, answering whatever question she asked them with fake enthusiasm. Once they were completely outside, Bo bounded off, Annie at his side, which left Draco alone with Harry bloody Potter all over again.

"Nice property, Malfoy."

"Thanks."

They strolled along the path in silence, Harry taking in as much sunlight as he could. It was then Draco noticed Harry had shot up, and was almost half a head taller than he was. No matter; everything these days depended on connections, and as far as Draco was concerned, he was much better off. The quietness between the two was slowly starting to get more and more awkward as they walked further away from the manor. It was a little chilly out, and Draco suddenly regretted not making Annie put on her coat over her green sweater. He was bound to hear some sort of lecture from his mother if she got sick, and there was no doubt in his mind that if she asked Potter, the man would tell her Draco made his daughter go outside in some flimsy t-shirt.

"So..." Harry started tightly, scratching the back of his head, "How long have you fancied Hermione before you two ... you know, got together?"

"Potter, don't do this."

"Do what?"

"Make me pick apart my relationship because we have nothing to talk about."

"Hermione's my best friend, and I'm curious."

"Fine," Draco snarled, rolling his eyes and glaring at the trees, their leaves crispy and brown, "I hated her in school, and I liked seeing her, for some reason, when she moved into our house... Then everything just sort of made sense to me that we should be together."

"How does that happen, exactly?" Harry snorted, cocking a dark eyebrow, "I mean, if you hated her-"

"I saw that while she's not stunningly beautiful in the mind of most people..." Draco trailed off, the lump in his throat suddenly returning, "I think she's lovely... And I was stupid to not see it sooner."

"That you were," Harry agreed, his tone a little more serious. "She would have married Ron, you know?"

"Yes, well I doubt Weasley could provide for her, anyway."

His temper flared at the idea of Ron and Hermione being married, but he quickly masked it when Potter looked at him. With a shrug, Harry continued, "Well, he makes a decent living now, despite being in hiding... He and Luna have good jobs."

"What made him pick that lunatic over Hermione anyway?" Draco inquired, suddenly curious. He wanted to know so much more about Hermione and her life, and while he hated that he had to get that information from Harry Potter, he would make do with what he got, for the time being.

"Well, Hermione wouldn't admit she fancied him, and Luna did," Harry mused, shaking his head. "I guess Ron was just happy that someone liked him and was willing to put themselves out there about it... They started dating, and then... Next thing I knew they were getting married, and Hermione was left in the dust."

Draco was silent, still taking in how moronic Ronald Weasley still was.

"That's why Hermione volunteered to move to Knockturn Alley, I expect," Harry noted, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "She wanted to get away from him and start fresh... And I suppose she did with you."

Draco grinned arrogantly, "That she did..."

"Look, I love Hermione," Harry stated, stopping and turning to look at Draco. "I've always loved her."

"What?"

Harry rolled his eyes, "Come off it Malfoy, I'm not _in_ love with her... She was like our mum at school, and now that we're all grown up, she's like our little sister, and we want to make sure she's safe."

"So, what's your point?"

"So... So if turning me in will get Hermione out, then... I want you to do it."


	35. Family Matters

"Up, Granger!"

Hermione felt herself being hauled to her feet rather abruptly, her sleepy state making her weaker against the guard that dragged her out of her cell. She struggled to wake herself up, as she had been enjoying some of the deepest sleep she had gotten in almost a week. They had relented on her torturing, for a while, because her body had gotten too weak to for her to stand, let alone speak when they asked her direct questions.

It had been two days since she was last interrogated, and she feared they assumed she was well enough to face more rounds of vigorous probing.

"What... What's happening?" she asked weakly as the guards pulled her along the corridor, her knees customarily dragging on the ground. Hermione winced when she felt old cuts reopen, but she had gotten used to pain far worse than this.

The guard glanced down at her, then to the other man carrying her before replying, "You've got a special visitor today."

"I-I do?" she inquired, her heart lightening slightly, but only slightly. As the guards yanked her along the cell corridors, she heard the fresh insults flung at them from her inmates, most sympathetic, if not empathetic, for her brutal cause. At first she found their remarks embarrassing, and one day she worried her tormentors would make her suffer more for her 'friends' comments, but she soon noticed that they simply tried to block them out whenever they walked past the noisy cells, so Hermione mentally cheered on their valor.

Her wrists, which were finally feeling better after days of being latched in chains and stretched (a new method of Muggle torture they had decided she was fit to endure), and all this dragging was really starting to make them hurt again. She struggled vainly, trying to dig her bare toes into the dirty cement to slow them down. However, one of her guards turned back and pelted her in the stomach with his shoed foot, expelling all the wind she had in her out. Fresh cries of angry insults were roused from the inmates, and the other guard was forced to silence them magically to end the spell of curses coming out of their mouth.

"Eh!" a man called from the end of the hall, Hermione's head cocking up to look at the familiar voice, "What did I tell you?"

"Draco..." Hermione breathed, her eyes watering as he stormed down the pathway, his eyes narrowing at the guards.

"I told you to go easy on her... Isn't that what I'm paying you for?" Draco snarled, shoving a small jingling sac back into his pocket.

"Piss off, Malfoy."

"What, come to kill her yourself?"

"Filthy Pureblood git-"

Draco too ignored the hail of slurs that were flung his way by the dirty prisoners. Instead, he bent down and gently hoisted her up, awkwardly using his hand to quickly push some of the hair out of her face.

"Hi..." she whispered, curving her arms around his neck, "You don't know how happy I am to see you..."

The biting remarks toward Draco instantly halted, and many of the prisoners watched him in mild shock as he carried Hermione down the hall and out of sight.

"I've missed you," he muttered, stopping at a door that Hermione had never seen before. A masked and robed man pulled it open, grunting to Draco that they had an hour. Hermione frowned, and it deepened as Draco set her down and fished out another coin purse from his pocket, tossing it to the man.

"An hour and a half then."

Hermione rolled her eyes, almost giddy being around Draco and his usual ways once more. He picked her up again, then slipped inside the room, the door slamming behind them and a lock locking noisily. She flinched at the sound, and Draco grinned, "I guess they don't want us running off, eh?"

Hermione giggled weakly, then took in the tiny room Draco had brought them into. There was a double bed located in the corner, and a small lamp hanging across the room from the ceiling, swaying back and forth in a nonexistent breeze.

"Draco?"

"I told them I'd pay for a conjugal visit," he chuckled, setting her down tenderly on the bed and standing back. "Of course they ate up my money like it came from trees..."

"A conjugal visit?" Hermione repeated, disgusted with the idea, "Draco, I'd never shag you in a prison! I'd want our first time to be somewhere special, not-"

"I know you wouldn't want to do anything in here," he soothed, taking a step closer and kneeling beside her, gathering up her dirty hands in his large, clean ones, "I just wanted to talk to you... and the only way to get anywhere private in here was to tell them we were going to have a shag."

Hermione shifted on the bed, her rational side perking up over the need to have real physical contact with someone. Truth be told, she would have let him do _anything_ to her at that point in time. She had been locked away and beaten in a cell for almost two weeks now, and her body was not just aching from pain, but from depravation of any sort of human contact.

"Potter and I had a chat the other day-"

"Harry?" she squeaked, her eyes widening, suddenly hungry for information, "So you two are talking? That's wonderful! How is he doing? Please tell me you've taken him out of your basement-"

"Hermione," he laughed, cutting her questions off quickly. "Let me talk."

"Sorry," she mumbled sheepishly, ashamed at her inquisitiveness. "Go on."

"Well, Annie made me take him for a bloody walk the other day-"

"Annie made you?" Hermione giggled, shaking her head at him, "Oh, she does have you figured out, doesn't she? How did she manage that?"

Draco cleared his throat, suddenly looking away from her, "Well... She started crying, and she wouldn't stop until I... did what she wanted."

Oh, honestly. Annie always knew how to get her way with men. Be it with her uncles, or co-workers of her mother, the little girl already knew how to manipulate them. Lucius would never admit it; even he couldn't resist her little desires when she voiced them.

"Draco, you're weak."

"Shut up, I know... She's my little girl though!"

Hermione rolled her eyes, deciding they needed to get back on task, "So, what happened on this walk with Harry?"

"Right, well," he grinned suddenly, "we talked about you."

"About me?"

"Quite a bit, actually," he chuckled, finally coming up and taking a seat next to her. "About how stupid Weasley was to run off and marry Lovegood... And how you've found someone who'll do anything now to make you happy..."

"I guess I have," she mused coyly, shooting him a look. "So you came all the way down here to tell me something I already know?"

"Not... quite," he said slowly, turning his body in more to face her. "Hermione... Potter said that if trading him for you would work... He... He wants me to do it."

Hermione's heart stopped for a moment, and she had to remind herself to breath. No, there were other ways to get her out. They were giving up too soon; Harry couldn't turn himself over to Voldemort. That was practically a death sentence.

"No."

"No? But, Hermione-"

"No!" she cried, her tone strangled in her throat, "Don't you dare bring him here! It's bad enough that Fred and George are in here, along with Angelina and Katie, who are pregnant! Honestly, get them out before you worry about me! They... They have more to live for."

"Don't say that," he ordered, his tone sobering slightly. "You have plenty to live for. You have me, my children, Potter... Your Order wouldn't want to see such a clever, beautiful witch killed without a cause. A lot of people love you, Hermione."

"But they have a family to rear-"

"And you don't?" Draco demanded, "Hermione, you have something started with me... I wouldn't call it a family... But it's something, don't you think?"

Hermione's eyes watered once more, and she hastily wiped the tears away before they could fall. However, she wasn't quick enough, and she noticed Draco's expression soften as a wet tear rolled down her cheeks, no doubt making the only clean space on her entire face. A sob hitched in her throat, and she turned away, holding a hand over her mouth to keep from full-out bawling in front of him.

She wasn't sure why; she had been rather emotional since being locked away in prison.

"Shh, please don't cry," he mumbled, rubbing her back comfortingly, obviously not sure how to make her feel better properly, "I didn't mean to upset you-"

"It's not you, Draco," she wailed, looking back at him through a blurry vision. "It's this place, it's everything! I haven't showered in ages... My hair looks like a bloody bird has made multiple nests in it. My body is sore and stiff... I can't laugh without something hurting! I miss you, I miss the children... I hate knowing that Harry and I were so close to seeing each other again, and that got taken away. I just hate everything! I smell, I'm tired all the time, I haven't eaten anything but cold chicken for almost two weeks, and no one dares to drink anything in this Hellhole..."

"I know," he hushed, pulling out his wand and performing a few cleaning spells on her, instantly removing the dirt and grim from her skin and under her nails. It felt good to be cleaner, but there was still a sorrow in her heart that she needed him to lift. Human contact.

Her skin was clean, but the rag she wore over it was still filthy, and reeked of blood and sweat. So, in a swift movement she removed it, tossing it on the ground, despite her shyness. Draco's eyes widened, and though she knew he was trying to hold eye contact with her, his blue orbs were slowly drifting down, taking in her naked body. While she had a mild form of underwear on, her bra had been disposed of along with the rest of her previous clothes.

"It's too dirty," she whispered, as if that explained it all, cupping his chin and dragging him down into a kiss, immediately falling into a rhythm. His hands flew up to his own clothes, removing his cloak and setting it aside on the bed, then unbuttoning his white shirt. She wanted to just rip it off and toss it out of the way, but she was shocked that he wrapped it around her shoulders, hoisting her up onto his lap as their pace quickened. She wanted to explore more, but he stilled her hands when they went to the zipper of his pants.

Grunting, she tried to free herself, but he broke the kiss and brought her hands up to his lips, giving them each a soft peck, his voice thick, "Hermione... Not here. You said that you-"

"Draco, I don't care what I said-"

"Well I'm saying it now," he breathed, his chest heaving slightly. "Not here."

She had never really been that promiscuous before, and she was shocked by the way she was acting. However, she didn't feel as embarrassed as she should. Perhaps something about Draco made her forget at least a hint of shyness.

"Fine," she muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Not here."

He nodded, then dipped his head back down, his lips attaching onto her neck possessively. A small giggle escaped from her, and she suddenly let out a laugh when he pressed his teeth against her skin, his hands tickling her as they moved along her mid-section.

After some time, Draco finally just rolled them both back onto the bed, laying on his back as she curled into his chest, a hand stroking her hair delicately. While it wasn't everything she wanted, it was enough for now.

"You don't know how much will power that took..." he grumbled playfully, tilting her chin up to look at him, "It's hard for me to say no to you."

"I don't think that's a bad thing," she mused, inching up and giving him another kiss, "I could use that later... Once I'm out of here."

"I will get you out of here... I promise."

"I know."

* * *

"I can announce myself, thank you," Narcissa said briskly, dismissing the Snape house elf as she strode into the house, handing it her cloak. "Is your mistress here?"

"No, Madame," the creature replied, bowing her ugly head slightly. "She went into town to do shopping... Blinky is too old for carrying heavy shopping bags."

"Good," Narcissa muttered, brushing the thing off with a wave of her hand. "That'll be all... Don't wander too far with that, I shan't be staying long, I'm afraid."

"Very good, Madame."

Trust Severus Snape to find the one decent house elf with manners. With a sigh, Narcissa walked the familiar path down to the dungeons, where she was told Severus had been having lessons with her grandchildren. She didn't want to disrupt him, but this business with Ginny would be taken care of in a matter of minutes, and she wouldn't keep him very long from his teaching.

After a short walk down some rather dodgy stairs, Narcissa found herself gazing in at her three grandchildren, all of them bent around a cauldron as Kevin slowly stirred it, watching as the blue potion within slowly started turning green. Snape looked up from his desk, shooting them a glare as a foul odor erupted from their pot, and Eloise hastily added some neutralizing plants, returning the potion back to its previous state.

"Knock knock?" Narcissa called, lightly knocking her fist against the door frame.

Snape's attention turned to her, and he smiled, "Afternoon, Cissa."

"Hello, Severus... Children."

There were a few grunts from the boys, and Eloise smiled up at her, but apparently they were very in to their potion, and as Narcissa knew; the slightest mistake could botch the whole thing.

Severus rose from his desk, then swept over to her, his typical teaching robes billowing as he moved across the dungeon floor, "What can I do for you, Cissa?"

"I was wondering if I could have a quick word, actually," she stated, her eyes flickering to the children to make sure no one was listening. "It won't take long."

"I'm afraid I can't leave them," he informed her, nodding back to the trio. "Should something blow up and someone gets scalded... Well, I'm sure Draco will try to skin me for it."

"Nonsense," Narcissa laughed, rolling her eyes and grasping his hand. "This will only take a moment."

"Cissa-"

She tugged him out of the room, despite his muffled protests. He should know by now that there was no longer any good in arguing with her, since she always made a valiant effort to see that she won even the most trivial of matters.

"What's wrong?" Severus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "You know I can't leave during lessons."

"Like I said before," Narcissa flipped, tucking some hair behind her shoulder. "This won't take long."

"What is it then?"

"It's about Ginny," she started, instantly noticing a flash of annoyance cross his eyes, "and your choice to not allow her to see Harry."

"Don't take offense, Narcissa," he muttered, staring directly at her, "but that is none of your business."

"Excuse me?"

"While I have no problems with you lending a helping hand on most matters, this is between me and my wife, not you."

Oh, so he was going to be like that? Gods, Lucius had given up that sort of attitude _years_ ago.

"Severus, you're being ridiculous," Narcissa continued, her voice a little more firm and less airy than it had been. "Ginny is really upset about this-"

"You gather?"

"And I think it would be best for your marriage if you tried to see things from her point of view," Narcissa ground out, her eyes suddenly narrowing at him. "She misses Harry... Gods, Severus, she misses everyone from that world, and now that her best friend has returned, you won't even let her see him."

"I'm sure she'll survive."

"Stop being stubborn!"

"Stop being nosy."

"I am _not_ being nosy," Narcissa hissed, outraged at the accusation. "I am stating an obvious fact... If you're jealous of Harry, fine-"

"What-"

"If you don't want Ginny to see an ex-boyfriend, fine," Narcissa pressed on, cutting off his snarl, "but you need to tell her that before she does something rash like sneak over and permanently sully the bond you two share."

He stood silent for a moment, contemplating everything she had just said. Perhaps she had finally talked some sense into him. A smug sense of pride struck a nerve, and she cocked an eyebrow, imploring for him to share his thoughts.

"While what you say is rather... true, to some degree," Snape stated, his dark eyes never moving away from hers. "I don't want my wife seeing him, end of story."

"Severus Snape-"

"I'm a grown man, Narcissa," he insisted, overtaking her argument, "and I'll do as I please with my wife. I'll speak to her about it later, but the subject has been beaten to death."

"But... You..." Narcissa let out a growl of frustration, then turned on her heel, figuring she could find another way to make Snape see her point of view.

She heard him chuckle behind her, "Good day, Narcissa... I'll have them home on time today."

"Yes, yes... Good day."

She stalked out of the manor, the cold breeze biting at her skin. There had to be another way to make him see... Someone else needed to speak with him.

A cruel smile spread across her lips; Lucius.

* * *

Kevin stared down at his homework planner, then let out a groan. Snape had returned that afternoon from his chat with Kevin's grandmother in a smug, yet irritable mood, and after Shane knocked over a tube of alovera extract, the man assigned a four page essay on the functions of the alovera and why it was used in healing.

Once they were sent home for the day, Eloise retired to her room, ready to start with her homework and Shane sent a letter to Sawyer, asking if she'd like to come over and work on some school stuff together. Much to Kevin's shock, the girl said yes, and was over within fifteen minutes, armed to the teeth with books and paper.

Shane introduced her to the rest of the family, and his grandmother commented on how lovely she was, and Lucius and Draco politely made their acquaintances, but disappeared soon after to the basement, most likely to speak with Potter about something or another. The bloody man had been living in their basement for ages now, yet they hadn't done anything with him. Kevin pondered whether or not they ever planned to, really.

"So what's it like being tutored by your ... uncle?" Sawyer inquired as they sat at the long table in the dining hall, the easiest place for the three to do homework, "He is your uncle, right?"

"Well, he's dad's godfather," Shane stated, scratching his head with the end of his quill. "So I don't know what he is to us... But he's something."

"Kind of the person you _have_ to call uncle because he's a family friend," Kevin informed her, noticing the immediate understanding in her eyes.

The three had been toiling away for almost an hour. While Kevin worked on his essay for Snape, the other two were doing some Potions assignment, and after some time, Eloise toddled downstairs to join them, as she had a similar Potions project of her own in her class.

"Nice to have another girl around," Eloise chuckled as she took a seat next to Kevin. "I'm surrounded by bloody boys all day long..."

"Yeah... I told her she should come over more often ," Shane muttered, causing Sawyer's cheeks to tint slightly. "She still hasn't gotten back to me on that."

"Well, since you asked so nicely... I don't know how I could refuse," Sawyer laughed dramatically, shooting him a coy look before scribbling a number sloppily on her graph. "You guys have such a nice house... My house could _fit_ in here."

"Well, our old one was a bit of a farm house," Kevin said before Eloise could. "So it's like a palace to us, really."

She grinned at him, and though she must have thought Kevin didn't hear it, she whispered to Shane that his brother was simply adorable.

If she thought he was adorable, why didn't other girls? There were a few more female students slowly filtering in from around the United Kingdom. Many of the parents had been afraid to send their children to Hogwarts with Voldemort ruling over it, but when a rather appeasing report on the school was published in the paper, more students were finally sent in.

There was a whole new gaggle of girls in his grade, and in his mind, they were all rather attractive. Unfortunately, none of them seemed interested in him. Of course, they all wanted to be his friend, and he was always asked to sit with them during meal times, but they just wanted him there to make them laugh, not flirt with.

He couldn't help but feel envious, again, of his older siblings. Eloise had a boyfriend, and though they weren't together yet, Kevin was sure Shane and Sawyer would be dating soon. Not a lot of his friends wanted girlfriends, at the moment, but Kevin just wanted someone of the opposite sex to appreciate him on a different level then his other girl friends. There was this sense of loneliness when he looked at his brother and sister. They always did things together; he and Shane were close, but Eloise was closer to him in age, which meant Kevin always had to be with Annie, or act as a third wheel when they wanted to do things.

Sawyer let out a loud giggle as Shane told one of his jokes, one he and Eloise had heard numerous times in the past years, and Eloise rolled her eyes, shooting Kevin a disbelieving look before returning to her work. Kevin watched enviously as Sawyer touched Shane's forearm, then withdrew as she spoke, their eyes locking together. With a sigh, he rose from the table and explained he was just going to go watch some TV in the Muggle room. They bid him farewell, and he gathered up his things, ready to give anything to just trade places with his brother.

* * *

Ginny slowly stacked the remainder of the soup cans she had recently purchased into the cupboard, then shut it, handing her shopping bags over to Blinky to put away. The had spent all afternoon trying to find what she needed in that damn Muggle grocery store, and her feet were aching. All she needed now was a nice bath, then bed. After spending so much time around food, she really wasn't in the mood to have any sort of dinner.

"You know..." Snape chuckled, leaning back against the kitchen door, a discontent expression on his face, "I think that was a rather low blow today."

Frowning, she turned back to look at him, then folded her arms, "Excuse me?"

"Bringing in Narcissa to try and sway me to let you see Harry," he stated, his eyes narrowing. "Devious, but I'm afraid it didn't work."

"Narcissa offered to speak with you over lunch the other day," Ginny snarled, barely noticing as her house elf scampered out of the room, obviously sensing the churning fight. "I did not ask her to do anything."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, Severus," she hissed, shifting her weight to one leg, expression equally as sour as her husband. "Don't think I'm desperate for outside help... I know how to handle you."

"Ha, somehow I doubt that."

Irritated, and tired, Ginny stalked toward the door, slipping past him and into the hallway, her mind set on just going off to her room and locking him out for the night. He was being so bloody stupid about the whole thing, and while she would be willing to compromise somehow, he wouldn't allow any of it. Instead, he saw fit to act like a child.

"You know what?" she growled, stopping and turning back to see he was following her, "The real reason I had lunch with Narcissa was because I thought if I spent another full day in this damn house with _you_, I'd be forced to kill you!"

"Come, come, Ginny, no need for dramatics-"

"I'm not being dramatic," she shouted, throwing her hands up in the air. "I'm willing to be bloody reasonable with you, Severus, but you're just being some stupid, stubborn twit who thinks his way is the _only_ way!"

"Ginny, you are not seeing Harry," Snape reiterated, standing squarely before her. "He's a criminal, and as you've noticed, anyone caught associating with him is sent off to Azkaban... The Malfoys are risking a lot keeping him in there, and I don't want anything to get linked back to you in the end."

"Don't be paranoid," Ginny flipped, rolling her eyes. "Speaking with the man for ten minutes won't send me into Azkaban-"

"But withholding information about a known criminal will!"

"Yeah, well I don't plan on speaking with anyone who works in the Ministry about it, all right? So nothing is getting put back on me."

"Everything would be-"

"Stop trying to get me away from my point!" she shrieked, her nostrils flaring, "This is about _you_ not letting me see _my_ best friend... You're being inconsiderate and a bloody tyrant, and Merlin help you, Severus Snape, because I won't stand for it much longer!"

Her breathing was heavy as she glared at him, her hands resting on their usual spot on her hips. Snape pinched the bridge of his noise, closing his eyes in frustration and letting out a sigh, "Ginevra... I love you very much, but you're driving me to madness!"

"Well, if you really loved me... You'd understand how much this means to me... How much Harry means to me."

He opened his mouth to say something, but fell short, slipping into a silent brood. Sick of waiting for another flippant remark, Ginny stormed off to bed, slamming the door to her bedroom with all her might, a fresh batch of tears in her eyes.


	36. Sad Songs Say So Much

_**I do not own the song used in this chapter. It's 'Never Met a Girl Like You Before' by Edwin Collins. Not mine. At all.**_

* * *

The dim drone of the people around us was tuned out as I leaned back into Will, smiling as Sawyer told us a joke from across the booth.

Shane had finally gotten up the courage to ask her out, but only told her it was a 'trial' thing, and that she would be hitching along with Will and I on our date. Unfortunately, my dear brother forgot to tell me he would be tagging along on my date until several minutes before Will arrived, which put me in a rather foul mood for the first hour or so.

However, after arriving at the small, rather quiet club that Shane and Will had picked out in downtown London, I found myself enjoying the company more and more. Naturally Will had his connections and managed to get us a few drinks to help start the night off. We all promised not to get drunk, and Shane asked the bartender to stop bringing them to us when it seemed like we had had too much.

While I was a little upset that I didn't get my alone time with Will this weekend, I knew we were going back to the house afterwards, since Lucius decided to be a prick and make our curfew ten o'clock, so we could spend time together there.

Shane and Sawyer seemed like a good couple, if one was to really look at them. They ended up ordering the same drink without knowing it, and were currently splitting a plate of chicken wings. Will and I, on the other hand, had ordered different drinks, and I couldn't stand the plate of nachos covered in chili that he ordered, while he hated the hamburger I purchased. Not to worry - opposites attract. I grinned at the thought, and as our plates were cleared away, I snuggled in a little closer to him, his arm resting lazily over my back.

"You know what I think you should do, Shane?" I drawled, nodding over to the stage where a rather drunken woman was singing 'Locomotion' at the top of her lungs, "I think you should go up there and show them some _real_ talent."

"You sing?" Sawyer asked, appearing shocked as she looked Shane over, "I didn't know that!"

"Shane's always had a good voice," Will complimented, smiling at my brother. "Go on, Shane... You never know who is listening out there."

"You lot are," Shane chuckled, shaking his head. "No."

"Please?" Sawyer giggled, resting her hand on his arm, "I've never heard you before."

He grinned sheepishly, "I'm not that good..."

I glanced up at Will, and he smirked, catching my train of thought. We waited until the manager of the club was on stage, thankfully ushering the previous singer off, then cleared his throat, "Right... Well, that was a stirring rendition of the Locomotion..."

There were a few chuckles and giggles from the crowd, and the short man continued, "If there is anyone else who would like to take the stage...?"

"Right 'ere!" Will shouted gruffly, standing up and pointing down at my brother, "Got your next slice of entertainment!"

The crowd broke off into a vigorous round of applause, and Shane sent a murderous glare at my boyfriend, then a similar one to me. Sawyer slid out of the booth, grasping his hand and pulling Shane out, much to his discontent.

"Come on up, lad," the manager called. "We'll give him a few seconds to pick a song, eh?"

There were a few mutual agreements form the crowd, and the clamor arose once again in the pub.

Sawyer bit her lip as Shane stalked off, grumbling to himself about the situation, and she sat down again, a worried expression on her face, "You don't think he'll be cross with me, do you?"

"More with us than anything," I replied, shaking my head. "Don't worry... You're the innocent one here."

She still seemed slightly nervous, and Will went a little further to tell her that Shane was just making a fuss to look cool; he actually enjoyed singing for people. Of course, that was partially true. Shane liked to sing for people he knew, and he generally sounded pretty good. However, when he's nervous, he tends to go off key, so as I sat in our booth at the back, I suddenly felt a little worried for my brother.

"He'll do fine," I laughed awkwardly, reassuring myself more than anyone. "I mean, if he sounds any worse than that last woman... Well, they may start throwing things. But if he messes up, they just won't listen, I suppose."

"Yeah, right Eloise," Will snorted, rubbing my back. "Don't tell me you're going to run up there and drag him off the stage before he opens his mouth."

"No," I snapped, rolling my eyes and shifting a little closer as I watched Shane finally give his music selection over to the manager.

The stout man looked over the music, then grinned, "We've got a classic here tonight, ladies and gents; _Never met a girl like you _by Edwin Collins... Give the poor lad a big hand before he starts."

Sawyer and I let out a pair of identical girlish shrieks, cheering him on as Will raised his fingers to his mouth and gave a shrill whistle. The crowd seemed eager to listen to him, but I suppose anything was better than the last woman who was up there. Thankfully Shane is neither drunk nor untalented.

The music started off with an odd form of guitar, and the keyboard switched to a different version of melodic sounds, and I grinned as Shane took a deep breath, stepping toward the microphone.

_I've never known a girl like you before  
Now just like in a song from days of yore  
Here you come a knockin', knockin' at my door  
And I've never met a girl like you before  
_  
Will and I, along with several other club goers let out a cheer as the instrumental chorus took over for a few moments. He seemed so confident up there, and I couldn't but notice the way Sawyer's cheeks were flushed as she watched him on stage, her elbow resting on the table while holding her head up.

_You give me just a taste so I want more and more  
Now my hands are bleeding and my knees are raw  
Now you've got me crawlin', crawlin' on the floor  
And I've never met a girl like you before  
_  
"What's with the blush?" I asked, leaning across the table to her as the instrumental chorus took over again.

She shrugged, then grinned cheekily, "I told him this was my favourite song..."

I rolled my eyes; romantic git.

_You've made me acknowledge the devil in me  
I hope to God I'm talkin' metaphorically  
Hope that I'm talkin' allegorically  
Know that I'm talkin' about the way I feel  
And I've never known a girl like you before  
Never, never, never, never  
Never known a girl like you before_

_This old town's changed so much_  
_Don't feel like I belong_  
_Too many protest singers_  
_Not enough protest songs_  
_And now you've come along_  
_Yes you've come along_  
_And I've never met a girl like you before_

I loved Shane's voice that night. He managed to pull off an old cabaret tone, which finally pleased the pub's crowd. He actually received a standing ovation, not only from our table, but numerous ones across the floor. I noticed the smug little bow he did before exiting the stage, then sheepishly walked through the crowd, thanking people for their comments on his performance. I thought he was great, but he's my brother, and I suppose my opinion doesn't count for much these days.

"Well done, mate," Will praised, rising up a little to slap my brother on the back when he was close enough. "I think they liked you."

"You think?" Shane laughed, rolling his eyes and accepting a hug from Sawyer. I looked away when she gave him a quick peck on the cheek, since he was shy enough about 'couple stuff' when I was around, and there was no need to make it worse.

"Excuse me?" a man intoned lightly. I glanced over at the elderly man, maybe in his early fifties, whose brown hair was thinning and had a perfectly pressed black suit on, "But may I ask you a question?"

"Me?" Shane asked, glancing around at the rest of us, "Sure... Go ahead."

"What's your name?"

My brother frowned, "Shane Malfoy, and yours?"

"Thomas Wittmore," he stated, reaching out and shaking Shane's hand. "I work for a record company just outside of Manchester... I must say that you've got quite a voice there."

"Thank you, sir," Shane babbled, his voice suddenly deepening, obviously trying to make himself sound a little older. "Glad you... enjoyed the show, I suppose."

"Oh, more than enjoyed it, my dear boy," Wittmore laughed, his eyes flickering out to the three of us. "You have rare, raw talent, Mr. Malfoy... and I'd like to make it better."

My eyes widened and I eagerly studied my brother, curious for his reaction. His face remained numb for a moment, but in the merest of seconds he grinned, "Really?"

"Now, I won't be paying you anything, but I'd like you to come do a recording sometime," the man insisted, pulling out a business card with lightning speed and slipping it into Shane's hand. "I'd like to see how well your voice does in a studio, and get to know your range."

"Wow... I... I don't know what to say," Shane stammered, folding up the little card and sticking it in his pocket. "That's... great."

"Now, I realize you have schooling... How old are you?"

"Sixteen, sir."

"Such talent for sixteen..." Wittmore murmured under his breath, the compliment almost lost in the noise of the club, "Nevertheless, I'd like to have you do some voice tests for me... There is a songwriter at the studio that would just kill to have someone with your voice write her stuff. So give me your phone number, and I'll be in contact within a few days."

Shane and I glanced at each other; it would be a cold day in Hell when the Malfoys allowed us to own phones. Shane cleared his throat, quickly making up something to cover for our lack of technology, "We just moved into our house, and a lot of our stuff hasn't made it here yet... I can give you my email, if you'd like. I check it everyday."

He seemed hesitant at first, but finally agreed to accept the piece of paper with Shane's Muggle email address on it. Sadly, the computer was the only thing in our house that linked us to the outside Muggle world.

As the man bid us his farewells, I noted the sudden swell of pride that radiated off of my brother, and as he sat down beside Sawyer, he looked as like the cat that swallowed the canary. Will reached across the table once more and gave him a quick smack on the arm, "You see? I told you; you never know who is listening in an audience!"

"Yeah..." Shane laughed, a smile permanently embedded on his face, "I suppose."

"That's amazing, Shane," Sawyer gushed, linking her arm with his. "Are you going to do it?"

He shrugged, looking down at her happily, "I suppose... Why not, right? I like to sing... Maybe I can make some money of my own."

My smile faltered a bit as a thought hit me; what if Shane became big? What if he moved out of the house early to pursue a career? Though I want him to be happy... I don't want him to leave just yet.

We spent another half an hour at the pub, then decided to take the dates back to the house, and maybe put on a movie in the Muggle room. Sawyer seemed excited that we even _had_ a Muggle room, and I knew Shane would enjoy himself showing her around everywhere, and what everything did.

"Will and I'll just get some popcorn then," I blurted as Shane hooked his arm around Sawyer's hips, their faces close together. I dragged Will out of the room, then let out a giggle when he rolled his eyes, "Honestly... The lack of maturity I see around here."

Kevin must have been somewhere else, maybe in the attic with Lucius, since he didn't come down to say hello to Will, which was something he usually made an effort to do. I had a feeling dad was down with Harry; they had been talking more and more in secret for the past week and a half since Draco went in to see my aunt. I wouldn't call the relationship dad has with Harry Potter a friendship, but they seemed to value the same thing; aunt Hermione.

Grandmother actually managed to have Harry brought upstairs, and he shared a dinner with us one night. There wasn't a lot of talking going on, even Grandmother was displeased, but he was mainly brought up (according to Grandmother) to have just one meal in the company of others. Once he had finished, Lucius and dad escorted him back down to the basement, where he's been ever since.

"So popcorn is it?" Will asked, rousing me from my musings.

I sighed, realizing we were in the kitchen, and nodded, "Yeah... Seems like the most normal thing to have with a movie."

I moved across the kitchen area, finding a large enough pair of bowls to keep both of the couples happy during the movie. Though in our case I doubt there will be much movie watching, bit I hardly see a real problem with that.

"You okay?" he asked as I absently started to place the dual popcorn packet in the heater, "You seem a little distracted."

I shrugged, leaning back against the counter, "I don't know... I was just thinking."

He made his way over to me, hopping up and sitting on the marble countertop beside me, playing with a few bits of my hair, "About what?"

"Well, what if Shane makes something with singing?" I asked theoretically, turning to look at him, "I mean, he'd have to leave home and go... do something with it, right?"

"I suppose."

"I don't really... want him to go yet," I admitted, rubbing my arms. "He keeps me sane sometimes, you know? My aunt is locked away in prison... Dad it too preoccupied with her to notice anything that goes on around here... and Harry bloody Potter is _still _in our basement."

Will's eyes widened, and he frowned, "Potter is still here? I thought your father dealt with him...?"

"No... No, we need him to get aunt Hermione out," I sighed, shaking my head at the situation, "but she told dad she wouldn't allow him to use Harry Potter as leverage to get her out, so we're stuck with him until we figure out what to do."

"It's bloody dangerous keeping him here, Eloise," Will commented, concern etched in his voice. "He... People holding known criminals can be sentenced to death... _Especially_ if it's Harry Potter!"

"I know... I worry about random Ministry coming to do a search everyday," I admitted, my voice shaking for the first time. "I mean... What if we get found?"

"Well, I don't think you have too much to worry about," he sighed, pulling me a little closer and kissing me on the top of my head. "The Malfoys are a pretty strong family... I'm sure they will keep you safe, if anything happens."

"I hope so..."

* * *

Harry watched as Draco paced the entire width of the relatively small dungeon for nearly five whole minutes before he said something, "As much fun as this is, Malfoy-"

"I've found a way to get Hermione out."

Harry's heart almost ceased beating for a moment, and he quickly remembered his vocal cords, "What? How? When? Malfoy, do-"

"I've been bribing different people all week long," Draco sighed, his expression weary and his tone exhausted. "I lost a lot of money, but it's not like the family will suffer for it..."

He wanted to feel sorry for the man, but his past pompous actions had made that almost impossible for Harry. Instead, he rose to his feet, the shackles finally removed permanently from his wrists. Perhaps the Malfoys finally thought that Harry was no longer a threat, and that there was less of a chance he would hurt them if he was given small liberties. It was nice to be able to move around his prison whenever his arse got sore from sitting on the floor.

"So?" Harry pressed, hungry to know more of the story, "When is she getting out? Who did you bribe?"

"No one special, really," he chuckled, running a hand through his blonde hair. "Mostly the guards... The Weasley twins and their wives are being released tomorrow, and I've managed to get the guards to bring Hermione out, too."

Harry frowned, words failing him for the briefest of moments, "Just... Just like that they're going to bring her out?"

"They told me if Voldemort wasn't involved personally, he wouldn't even notice her gone," Draco admitted, shrugging his slumped shoulders. "I just want her to be out. If she would have let me use _you_ I could have gotten her out a long time ago."

Harry snorted coldly, and rolling his eyes he droned, "Yeah, because that plan would have worked wonderfully."

"Would have saved me the trouble of feeding you," Draco sneered back, his eye twitching with annoyance.

As much fun as it was to banter back and forth with his old rival, Harry was no longer in the mood. He had been staying with the Malfoys for almost a month now, and the enjoyment he got from making Draco's blood boil just wasn't there anymore. His main concern was for Hermione. Draco told him that she was weak and depressed the last time he visited her, and Harry wasn't sure how much more she could take without cracking under the pressure of it all.

"So you're going in tomorrow then?" Harry asked, making sure he knew the plan in his mind, "By yourself?"

"No, everyone is going to come down to fetch her... I'm sure she misses the children," Draco explained, smirking slightly. "Plus having father around as a brute to the guards always pays off..."

"Charming."

"You work with what you've got, Potter," Draco chuckled, folding his arms. "Once she's out, I'm bringing her here and not letting her out of my sight until she's healthy again... And you're leaving as soon as possible."

"Can't wait," Harry droned, leaning back against the wall. "The sooner the better, Malfoy."

"Good, because the feeling is mutual."

Someone cleared their throat at the bottom of the stairs, and Draco's head whipped up, his eyes straining in the darkness to see who is was. Harry, who was standing at a better angle, could see that it was that stupid brat who had him captured upon his first night at the Malfoy Manor.

"What do you want, Will?" Draco barked, his eyes narrowing, "Closed doors usually don't mean they're for you to venture through."

"Sorry, sir," Will stammered, going down a step or so. "Eloise fell a little ill... Must have been the hamburger at the club... But I can't find anyone else..."

"She's ill?"

"Hmm... She's got a bit of a temperature too," Will added, glancing from Draco to Harry. "I wouldn't have come down, but she said she just wanted you to check on her."

"Right... Fine. Night, Potter."

"Night, Malfoy."

* * *

Harry watched him stalk up the stairs to return to his fatherly duties, and he let out a laugh. He had never really expected Draco Malfoy to have children. Naturally, when he was in school, he assumed Malfoy would just eat his young.

However, he seemed to handle them fine, a little distant in Harry's mind, but then again Draco did have a lot on his mind as of late.

Figuring that was all the human company he would get for the night, Harry removed his shirt and tossed it somewhere in the corner, then laid down on a pair of pillows, staring at the ceiling. He was pondering over his fate, when the door to his imprisonment opened slowly, then shut again. He rolled onto his stomach, squinting to see a female figure slink down the steps, leaning on the railing in the darkness.

"Harry?"

His mouth was suddenly dry, and though he said her name, the word barely came out loud enough to hear, "Ginny?"

Sitting up hastily, he wondered whether or not this was some sort of strange dream. However, in an instant, he felt a slender body pounce on him, arms wrapping securely around his neck, almost intent on chocking him. And there she was. The familiar smell of her hair, the delicate feel of her smooth skin; it was all still there. He dragged her in closer, if that was possible, and he heard her release a sob next to his ear, her body suddenly starting to shake.

"Ginny, it's all right," he hushed, rocking her back and forth. "I'm here."

"G-Gods, Harry," Ginny whimpered, clinging to him, "I've missed you s-so much..."

"Me too," Harry agreed softly, a lump starting to form in his throat, "I wanted to visit you the first night I was here... But I don't think your... husband would have allowed that."

He hadn't meant to say it, but the biting remark was aching to be flung off his tongue. The marriage wasn't Ginny's fault, he knew, but he somehow felt that she could have avoided living with Snape for the past fifteen years if she had just run away.

She loosened her hold on him and leaned back, kneeling in front of him on the floor. Her eyes were still wide and innocent, despite her nature, and her face still made his heart flutter wildly in his chest. Age had been well to her; she had filled out, but only slightly. A woman was what Harry had last seen, but a more elegant woman was what he saw now. Her nails were well kept, and her hair was rather shiny. At least she looked in better condition now than when she lived in London with Dean, working for the Order secretly.

"He didn't want me to come here," she whispered, her tone shaking as she spoke. "He didn't want me to see you... I had to sneak out, and then sneak in here... You don't know how badly I've wanted to be with you again."

She gently stroked his face, and he leaned in to her touch, giving her palm a soft kiss when he could. The question burned inside him; was she still in love with him, the way he was still in love with her?

Ginny pulled her hand away, keeping eye contact with him, "Harry... I..."

"I don't think it would be right for you to stay long, Gin," Harry stated, his voice rough, yet soft. "You shouldn't betray your husband's trust by sneaking out... even if it is ruddy Snape."

"I'm sorry," she murmured, grasping one of his hands. "Please, Harry, I think we should talk."

"About what, Ginny?" Harry snapped, hating the way his voice sounded, "There's nothing to talk about right now... I've missed you like Hell... I've never fallen for someone like you, yet you're the one wearing a ring, and it's not mine."

Ginny released his hand as though he had burnt her, and she rose, her eyes filling with tears once more, "Harry, I'm so sorry, really-"

"It's done now, Ginny," Harry muttered, staring pointedly at the ground. "It's too late."


	37. Betrayal All Around!

Ugh... Damn hamburger!

I lay on my bed clutching my stomach. Less than an hour into our make-out fest, I suddenly started to feel sick. At first I thought it was just period cramps, since _that_ was due anytime now. However, as time progressed, I started to feel more nauseous than anything. Shane made a big joke out of it, asking if Will had bad breath or something. Normally I would have played along, but I really started to feel ill, and Will suggested going toward a bathroom, in case I felt the urge to vomit.

Just as he said that, I immediately felt sick, and rushed off to the nearest toilet to empty the entire evening meal's contents into the bowl. Dizzy and feeling gross, I asked Will to go and find someone other than Shane to come help me. He stayed with me for a while, holding my hair back as I vomited into the toilet, but eventually went off to find an adult who could properly cast the spells to heal me.

"Right Ms. Eloise," Dad grunted as he swept into the room, Will behind him. "Let me have a feel of your forehead."

I pushed some of my hair out of the way, then sighed as his cool hand touched my skin. He made a face, as though actually counting my temperature out, then smiled down at me, "Not too hot... What's wrong?"

"I threw up," I snapped, glaring at him. "What do you think is wrong?"

"Might be a mild case of food poisoning?" Will suggested, rocking back and forth on his heels, "I told you not to get the hamburger."

"Shut up, Will," I laughed weakly, smirking at him.

He grinned, then glanced down at his watch, "Shite... Look, Eloise I really have to go. I'm sorry-"

"It's okay," I muttered, waving him off with my hand. "Go. I'm not much of a date anyway."

He made a move toward me, as though to kiss my cheek goodbye or something, but Dad shot him a glare and he stopped in his tracks, cautiously blowing a kiss to me before leaving. I rolled my eyes, "Dad, stop being a prick to him."

"I'm _not_ being a prick," he grumbled, shooting another glare at my boyfriend's retreating figure. "He's just... Because you're sick, young lady, I'll let you get away with calling me a prick."

"Oh, thank you for being _so_ gracious."

"Don't push it, Eloise."

I released a groan, closing my eyes when I felt my stomach knot. I really didn't want to throw up all over my bed, so I made a mental note to aim for Dad if the event should arise.

"Look, my stomach is just really upset, okay?" I grumbled, staring up at him as he frowned, "I just wanted you to know... Sorry to... drag you away from Potter and everything."

His eyes hardened, and I could almost feel his mood change to irritation, "Well, my daughter is more important than talking to Potter anyway."

"Really?" I demanded, feeling the annoyance with his actions that had been building for the past weeks suddenly ready to spill out, "Because it doesn't really seem like that."

"That's ridiculous; of course my daughter is more important-"

"Don't try and get around it," I argued, sitting up a little. "All you've focused on for weeks is aunt Hermione in jail, Potter in the basement... Those are your top priorities. I'm shocked you even bothered to come check on me."

Okay, that was a little harsh, but he needs a bloody wake up call to remind him he does have kids now, and they require some attention from time to time. An occasional ride around the property on a broom with Shane doesn't count for anything.

He rested his head in his hands, staring down at the floor as he massaged his cheeks, releasing a deep sigh. His expression was weary, and it seemed as though he wanted to do nothing more than sleep. But other then that, I could sense the odd sadness that was hidden in his eyes, flickering out for a moment or two here and there.

"I'm sorry, Eloise," he rasped, his head still in his hands. "I know I've been putting you four off, and it's not fair. It's my fault and my fault alone..."

I sat up more, the guilt trip suddenly hitting me with his words. Groaning inwardly, I scooted across the bed and sat up beside him, cautiously to please my upset stomach, then placed a hand on his shoulder, "Yeah... Yeah it's your fault. But I guess it's hard to prioritize things sometimes."

"My children shouldn't get a second priority," he stated, shaking his head and looking up at me. "Really, I'm sorry... Things have just been so hectic-"

"Yeah, I get that," I laughed, nudging him in an attempt to keep the mood playful. "It's okay to let it happen... You're allowed to do it a few times in parenthood, I guess. Mum used to do it, too."

His shoulders straightened a little, and I suppose he just needed to hear that other people did it too. I guess it's hard being a first time parent, and winding up with four kids instead of performing all the test trials with the first one.

"It won't happen anymore," he reassured me, smiling a little. "We're all going to pick up Hermione tomorrow... I've managed to buy her way out of jail."

A bright grin crossed my face, and I could almost feel my entire spirit lift, "Really? Dad, that's awesome!"

"Yes... Yes, I suppose it's... awesome," he chuckled, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and giving me a quick kiss on the head. "After Hermione is back living here things will get better."

Things usually get worse before they get better. I wanted to tell him, but I figured he needed all the positive attitude he could get from me that night. He had the house elves run and fetch me a stomach settling potion from Grandmother's room, then sat with me for a little while, chatting about safe topics like school and how I like my new teachers.

It wasn't exactly the most brilliant father-daughter conversation ever, but we were working on it, and that's all that counts.

* * *

Severus slid his book back onto the bookshelf, figuring it was about time he called it a night. He hadn't seen Ginny since dinner, and he was sure after their thousandth spat that she had run off for good. However, ever the optimist, Snape strained to hear any signs of his wife in the manor.

Finally, he heard the delicate sound of a sobbing Ginny making her way down the hall, her heels clacking loudly, yet awkwardly as she no doubt stumbled along. For a moment he held back, pondering whether or not to go to her. He was sure she was crying about something he had done, but there was always a chance the Gods played in his favour that night.

"Ginny?" he called, stepping out into the dark hallway and nearly running into her. She let out another sob, then buried herself in his chest, clinging to his dark sweater as though seeking comfort. Not quite sure what to do, Snape draped his arm around her, holding her in the most secure fashion that he knew how.

"What's happened?" he asked softly, nestling his nose in her soft hair, "Why are you crying?"

"I... I left the house about two hours ago," she confessed, looking up him through watery eyes. "I just had to... You understand, don't you?"

"Where did you go?" he asked, his tone slightly sterner as he ignored her question. Her mouth opened and closed for a moment or so, then she burst out into tears again, casting her face down to not look at him. From that moment on, he knew where she had gone; she had run off to see _him_.

"How is dear Harry?"

She sniffled loudly, running a finger under her tearing eyes, "I... He told me I should leave when I arrived... He said I shouldn't betray your trust like that. All I wanted to do was talk to him! I haven't seen him in fifteen... more than fifteen years, and he told me to go home!"

She released a depressed wail, then leaned her head down to his chest, clutching at him once more. He wanted to be cross with her. She had done the complete opposite of what he asked her to do. For almost a month now they fought it out, and she had finally just disregarded everything that had been said and gone to see that damn Potter. All he wanted to do was lash out with spiteful words to somehow express that she _had_ betrayed his trust by sneaking out of the house, and that she hurt him. Yet, somehow he couldn't. Ginny had come home to him, which meant more than any stupid argument.

"I want to say..." Snape trailed off, deciding it was best if he just left it at that. She was upset enough that night and there was no point in making it worse. However, he still had a question aching to be asked, "Now that you've seen him... Do you still love him?"

She gazed up at him, then rose onto her tiptoes, pressing her lips up into his. It was their first kiss that they had shared willingly in almost a month! He let loose a soft sigh, then firmly wrapped his arm around her lower back, lifting her up a little as their pace quickened. After a moment or so, she pulled away, her breathing heavy and eyes wide.

"I don't love him... anymore," she confirmed, trailing a lone finger down his cheek. "I... I thought I still did, but now that I'm back with you... I... I don't love him like I once did."

Severus grinned, a rare occasion over the turbulent weeks of bickering, and pulled her back up into him, their lips meeting once again in a heated entanglement.

* * *

"Thanks for coming," Draco breathed to Snape, shooting him a small smile. "It's always nice to have a little extra weight to toss around when it comes to these prison blokes."

"Understandable," Snape murmured backed, grasping Ginny's hand as they walked along the visitors' path toward the entrance of Azkaban. Naturally, this was the side that prisoners were never allowed to see. There were massive floral gardens, and neat wooden signs directing people to different offices on the campus. It was a courtyard of rare delicacy, the tidy little yellow paths adding a nice touch.

Prisoners were brought in through the gritty door out back; no beauty for them.

Draco had woken up at five that morning, and was too anxious to go back to sleep. It was now almost two in the afternoon, and they were finally arriving at the jail to retrieve his Hermione. He had been bouncy and so full of energy all day that he took his three eldest children out for numerous broom trips around the property, encouraging races whenever he could. Then, he had lunch with Annie and all her toys, and as humiliating as it was, he talked to each and every stuffed bear she introduced him to, much to her pleasure.

The Snapes had arrived about twenty minutes before their departure, hand in and hand, and obviously over whatever spat they had been going through for the past month. Draco was never quite sure how to feel about their relationship. Snape was almost as old as his father, and Ginny was a year younger than himself. But, they made each other happy, that much was clear, so Draco went along with whatever happened.

Everyone was excited about getting Hermione back. The children were bubbly, and his parents were walking arm in arm at the rear, his mother laughing over something his father whispered to her, his cane hitting the ground at the same interval.

Lucius had told his son earlier that morning that he should remember who he was; he was a Malfoy man, and should not exert too much emotion like some commoner upon seeing Hermione again. Draco promised him he would behave, but deep down he honestly had no control over his actions when he was around her. Something else took over, and he was no longer himself. They all waited in the center block, surrounded by bright flowers and the shining sun. Draco glanced at the double set of doors every so often, then down to his watch. This was taking a lot longer than he had expected.

"Where's Aunt Hermione?" Annie asked loudly over the adult conversation, her voice coming out in a whine. She was obviously bored, and Draco asked Eloise to go show her around the gardens to keep the little girl entertained. His elder daughter had recovered nicely from her slight stomach flu last night, but still sent him a scathing look as she dragged Annie off to the flower beds, pointing out random green and blue ones for her own amusement.

However, Draco shared a common thought with his young daughter, and silently mouthed the same question to himself. Ginny rolled her eyes, "It takes time to check out, Draco... She's coming."

He had had a horrid nightmare the previous night, in which it was all some sick joke, and they had already killed Hermione, rather than releasing her. He prayed to whoever was listening to not let her be dead. He wanted to see her smile so badly that it was actually starting to hurt.

The doors were suddenly hurled open, and all eyes were turned to a bumbling pair of redheads and their slightly pregnant wives, all walking arm in arm out of the prison. Ginny let out an odd little squeak, then took off toward her brothers, throwing herself in their arms when she was close enough. Draco grinned appreciatively, but his gaze was still fixed on the doors, waiting for his girl to come out.

"Welcome back to the free world," Snape droned, holding out his hand for Fred to shake. There were a few tense seconds that followed; Fred and George had yet to speak to their sister's husband.

Finally, Fred reached out, grasping the man's hand firmly and giving it a shake, "Thanks."

"Hey Uncle Fred! Uncle George! Aunt Angelina! Aunt Katie!"

Draco stepped aside as his children whizzed forward to their aunts and uncles, his grin broadening a little as they hugged and kissed them in welcome.

"If I may ask," Lucius started, taking a step away from his wife and cocking an eyebrow, "Why were you released so easily?"

"They didn't think we were as close to Harry as Hermione was," George replied, shrugging his lanky shoulders. "Ruddy idiots."

Draco caught his father's weak smirk, and Fred continued, "We didn't really have anything to give them, honestly. We've been living in here for too long to have real valuable information... Hey, by the way... How is old you-know-who?"

"Alive and well," Draco's mother stated flatly, "and will be out of our house soon."

"Good to hear."

A few small conversations carried out, and finally Fred excused them, saying they were in desperate need of a proper shower, food, and bed. They bid their sister a fond farewell, then departed swiftly, quite pleased to be leaving the prison at last.

Draco ground his teeth together; he had forgotten to ask them if Hermione was anywhere behind them. No matter - hopefully she would be out soon. He began pacing for a few feet, ignoring the snark comment his father hissed under his breath about him being pathetic.

"Aunt 'Mione!" Annie shrieked suddenly, tearing away from Eloise and toward the prison door. Draco's eyes whipped up, and a large smile pushed across his face. His children rushed their aunt, pulling her into a mass of hugs. Draco winced slightly; she was limping as she exited the prison, leaning heavily on a thick, gnarly wooden cane. She was even thinner than the last time they talked, if that was possible, and her hair was a frizzled mess. Though she wasn't still in the white sac he had last seen in, her clothes looked wrinkled and dirty. Yet she still smiled, her sheer joy radiating all the way back to him. He knew he should wait until she came to him, but he couldn't. Before anyone could tell him to stop, Draco strode across the courtyard, crossing to Hermione swiftly. Shane stepped aside to avoid getting stuck in the middle, and Draco pulled her shaking body into a hug, holding her so delicately in fear that he would shatter her into hundreds of pieces.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice wobbling as she dropped her cane, wrapping both arms around his neck and pulling herself closer to him. "Gods, Draco, thank you so much."

"I love you, Hermione," he mumbled in her ear, his stomach knotting and a familiar lump in his throat returning.

She was silent for a moment, then uttered, "Love you, too."

Shane, Eloise and Kevin started their walk back toward the others after that, giving the pair a moment alone. However, Annie did not seem to take the hint, and was tugging on Draco's shirt hem, "Daddy!"

"What is it, Annie?" he sighed, allowing Hermione to loosen her arms, yet holding her against him, almost in fear that she would be gone if he properly released her.

Annie smiled sweetly, then bounced on the spot, "Are we leaving now?"

"Yes, yes, we're going home," Draco laughed, kneeling down and handing Hermione her cane, then bringing Annie up to balance on his hip. They slowly strolled back toward the group, Hermione leaning up to give him a firm kiss on the lips when he glanced down at her. From then on, he knew there would be a permanent smile on his face.

"Hermione!" Ginny squealed, weaving her way through the people and dragging her friend away from Draco and into an embrace, their bodies swaying as they hugged.

"Welcome out, darling," Narcissa greeted when Ginny pulled away, hugging Hermione daintily and kissing her on both cheeks. "You were quite missed while you were gone."

Draco watched as Hermione smiled at Snape and his father, most likely not sure how to greet them. Not that it mattered; she had been greeted enough for one day. She looked so flimsy that the faintest breeze could knock her over.

Leaning quite profoundly on her cane, Hermione smiled at everyone, "You... You don't know how good it is to be out."

A tear rolled down her cheek, and Draco pulled her back into his body, a secure and promising arm around her.

"Well, this is rather touching... Welcome out, Hermione."

Draco turned back to find the source of the voice, setting Annie down. His eyes landed on a rather amused looking Dean Thomas, a man he remembered from school. He had apparently joined the ranks sometime after Ginny was taken hostage, and Draco theorized he did it for her. Nonetheless, it didn't seem as though he was really suffering as a Death Eater.

"Thomas... Afternoon," Draco greeted, nodding his head slightly at the man. "What can we do for you?"

"I just thought I'd see Hermione out," he chuckled, his eyes traveling over the group of people and landing on Ginny. "It's so nice to see everyone... I suppose you'll want to get going then?"

"Yes... I'd like a shower," Hermione laughed brightly, shooting Draco a coy look, "and I'm rather hungry."

Draco kissed her forehead, feeling the huge waves of affection that had been building up for Hermione during her absence crash over him. He wanted to get her home as soon as possible.

"Not to worry, Hermione," Dean chuckled. "You'll be home soon... However, I have a little question I'd like to ask you, Mr. Malfoy."

"Yes?" Draco replied, shooting his father a look, "What?"

"Do you know the penalty for keeping a known criminal in one's house?" Dean inquired, his eyes dancing wickedly as Draco's face paled, "Say... chained in one's basement?"

Draco swallowed nervously, ignoring Hermione's stare of curiosity, "Death for the men, house arrest for the women... I know the law, Thomas."

"Do you?"

"Quite well," Lucius snarled, causing his mother to flinch. "So if you'll excuse us, we'd like to be on our way."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible, Lucius," Dean mused, pulling out his wand from his cloak. "Really... I think it won't be possible at all."

"What are you talking about, Dean?" Ginny demanded, her voice strong from the back. The tall man remained silent, only to smile when the prison gates clanged open behind them, and such a clamor followed that Draco felt sick to his stomach. He looked over his shoulder and instantly felt the urge to kill.

There was smug Will Turny, along with a few other prison officials, dragging in a bound, yet struggling, Harry Potter. Hermione let out a gasp, and Ginny's eyes widened, "Harry!"

"Will!" Eloise shrieked, her voice pained with shock and hurt, "Will, what are you doing?"

"Sorry, Eloise... But my job has to come first," he remarked, shrugging as he hauled Harry toward the group. "He was in their basement, sitting there innocently... Irony's a strange thing."

"You invaded my house?" Lucius roared, drawing out his wand, "I'll have your skin for that, boy!"

Streaming flashes of light flew from all angles of the courtyard, prison officials hurrying out from all angles, and Draco finally realized what this was; a trap.

His father was instantly disarmed, and Draco faintly heard Snape telling Ginny not to get involved, though she was fighting to get to Harry with such desperation he had never seen before.

"I have a decree from the Dark Lord himself," Dean bellowed over the commotion, "that all men bearing the Malfoy name are to be killed for treason, and the women placed under house arrest."

He clucked his tongue at them, "It's never wise to do something so foolish, Malfoy."

"Dean Thomas!" Ginny screamed, trying vainly to pull herself away from Snape, "You stupid fucker-"

"Watch your language, Ginny," Dean barked. "You and your _husband_ are free to go... Boys, round up the Malfoy men. I'll need an escort to take the ladies back to their home."

Harry let out a muffled shout of rage from beneath his gag as a pair of men fell upon each Malfoy male. Draco's mother clung to Lucius for a moment, but he gave her a quick kiss and ordered her to see to the grandchildren, and make sure nothing happened to the house; he promised he would be out soon. Though there were tears in her eyes, she stepped aside and let a pair of men handcuff her husband, then haul him off toward the prison gates.

Snape stood there, watching helplessly. He exchanged a look with Draco, and Draco silently told him not to do anything; there was nothing he could do without getting himself thrown in jail.

"No, no, you can't take Shane!" Narcissa cried suddenly, Draco's attention turning to his eldest son through the chaos, "He's not of age-"

"I'm afraid the age for most things has been lowered, Mrs. Malfoy," a man grunted, grasping Shane firmly. "Come along, boy."

Shane kicked back, winding the man and dragging his sisters away from the 'escorts' who were descending on them to take them back to the manor. Three men pulled out their wand in retaliation, stunning him before he could get very far. Kevin took his place, standing between the prison guards and his sisters defensively, wand in hand.

Hermione's hands clutched at Draco's shirt, determined not to let him go. He looked down at her, stunned by the entire situation, "Please, please get hold of someone... Find anyone who can help you. If not for me... You all need Potter back."

"Don't let them take you," Hermione pleaded, a fresh string of tears tumbling down her cheeks. "No, don't Draco..."

A pair of hands clamped down on his shoulders, and someone shoved Hermione out of the way. Losing his temper completely, Draco swung back, slamming his fist into a man's face, most likely breaking his nose at the sheer force of it all. He ducked and dodged a pair of curses, then after making sure no real harm had befallen his girls, he whipped out his wand, firing off any sort of spell that came to mind. However, his rebellious streak barely lasted, and before he knew it, he was lying face down on the ground, stunned, his world slowly becoming a haze.


	38. King Arthur Returns

Ronald Weasley took a sip of his morning coffee, glancing across his small kitchen at his wife, Luna, as she busied herself with cleaning the dishes. A soft smile touched his lips, and he shook his head; he had never expected his life to turn out like this.

Married for almost ten years now, Ron and Luna were the least likely couple anyone could imagine when they were growing up. He had always thought his wife had a thing for Harry, but that was proven false when she admitted she preferred redheads, a sultry smile on her appeasing lips. His heart was torn for two women at that time; his longtime love Hermione Granger, and his growing affection for the quirky Luna Lovegood. While Hermione refused to admit they would make a proper couple, Luna was open for her wish to marry him. When push came to shove, Ron chose the woman who truly seemed like she wanted to be with him for the rest of her life; Luna.

Their marriage had been a lot easier than he expected. They seldom fought, though her bizarre ideas were sometimes put into question, Ron usually found a way to work around a verbal sparring. Going completely against Weasley tradition, the happy couple only had two sons; a boy of seven named Matthew, who inherited his father's red hair and brown eyes, and an adorable little boy of three whom Luna affectionately named Cameron. He resembled his mother more than anyone; straight blonde hair, and placid blue eyes - he had the markings of an aristocrat, and by the way society was starting to become, that was a bloody good thing. Atleast when he was older he could look the part of someone who was dead serious on creating a career.

The Order had fled to Scotland some time ago, and while there were always going to be slight mishaps with Scottish Death Eaters, Voldemort had generally left them alone. The man seemed focused on building his society, and rarely made as many raids against Order members. The past was what it was - the past. Many of the Order members settled down and married. However, they all still met once a week to discuss Voldemort's changes and new rules, usually to familiarize themselves with the tidings of England.

Scotland was still torn between the old Ministry and Voldemort; massive feuds always broke out amongst the two supporters, and Ron and Harry had been known to lead peace crusades with other members to balance out the casualties on both sides of the fight. Luna hated when Ron went out to fight, and always requested he stick to office work, but he couldn't let Harry have _all_ the fun.

He and his wife had picked a home in one of the smaller villages to the North. While it was a little remote, atleast their boys were safer than they would be if they lived in any of the major cities. The commute to Edinburgh, where the new Headquarters were located, wasn't difficult really; just a quick Floo away.

Ron wanted to make sure the children were always busy during times of war, and signed them up for a preschool as soon as they each turned three. Cameron had recently started this September, and Matthew was already making his way up the wizarding elementary scale. It was a new concept to have children younger than eleven learn magic. It had started in Northern Ireland, and was currently making it's way across the United Kingdom.

School was where the boys were currently located. The temperatures were already starting to dip down outside, and he had to double check both of his sons to make sure they were properly bundled before sending them off. The schoolhouse was only a five or so minute walk down the road; it was safe enough to let them out by themselves.

Ron ran a hand through his mad hair, then reached across the table for the paper, sighing, "Anything good in here today?"

"I don't know," Luna replied airily, shrugging her shoulders as she dipped some of the glasses in the soapy water. "I haven't read it yet... Matthew brought it in before he left."

"Good lad," Ron muttered, unfolding the _Daily Prophet_, then letting out some sort of noise that was a mix between a horrified squeak and a strangled yelp; Harry had been arrested! There was a picture of his best friend splattered across the front page of the newspaper.

Luna turned back hastily, "What?"

"Harry... They've arrested Harry," Ron replied, his voice slightly high-pitched. "Let me read it..."

His forehead furrowed as he skimmed the article. Apparently the Malfoy family had been hiding Harry in their basement, and they had all been arrested the previous day for treason, and were to be killed within in a week. The picture showed a bound Harry being dragged across some courtyard by a rather smug teenager, and Draco Malfoy pummeling a guard in the face whom had shoved Hermione out of the way.

Gods, he had missed a lot; what was Hermione doing with Draco? His brothers wrote to him that she had become rather 'smitten' with their old school rival, but Ron assumed it was some stupid joke, a letter that showed one's worst fear, and tossed it aside. Perhaps it was true after all.

"That's horrible!" Luna exclaimed as she read the article over his shoulder, her tone fretted with worry, "He's going to be tortured and killed! I know that foul demon will see to his slow and painful death... Ron-"

"I know, I'm going down to the headquarters," Ron stated, rising up out of his chair and tossing the paper back on the table. "I don't know when I'll be back."

"You'll be back this afternoon," she told him, crossing her arms, and then rolling her eyes. "I hope you'll get changed first-"

"No time," Ron growled, throwing on his thick coat and slipping into a pair of boots. "It's only the Order who'll see me... They've seen worse anyway."

"Don't do anything rash," she pleaded, accepting his quick kiss on the lips before he left, "and be sure to zip up your coat!"

Snorting quietly to himself, he snatched his wand off the counter and hastily did the apparation spell which took him down to the headquarters.

"Hello?" he shouted, searching through the empty rooms, "Anyone?"

"Honestly, Ron, no need to shout," Remus laughed as he made his way out of one of the smaller rooms. "I heard you pop in."

The building was in much better condition than their Grimmuald Place residence. McGonagall had rented out an old apartment building right in the downtown area, then placed up a magical sign which stated that the building was being renovated, and would open as a hotel in the upcoming years. The residence of that neighborhood were excited, but were slowly growing irritated that they were never allowed to see inside, nor could they hear any construction work taking place.

Nevertheless, the building was perfect for everything the Order of the Phoenix needed it for. There were enough rooms to lend to visiting members from different countries (the Order had naturally grown as Voldemort's reach on the magical world expanded), and there were a plethora of extra rooms for the members to use for whatever they liked; libraries, study rooms, games rooms - anything.

"Did you read the bloody paper today?" Ron demanded, his face pale, "They arrested-"

"Harry, yes, I know," Remus sighed, rubbing his face wearily. "Somehow I knew it would happen... His father would have wound up in jail, too, had he been the one who ventured down to England."

Ron grinned; his best friend was known for attracting trouble, whether he liked it or not. Remus frowned suddenly, then looked Ron over, "Are you still wearing your nightclothes?"

Standing there clad awkwardly in a pair of white striped pants and a ratty old t-shirt, Ron shrugged sheepishly, "I wanted to get out here as soon as I read the paper... Just finished breakfast."

"Wonderful, and how's Luna doing?"

"Fine, fine..."

"And the boys?"

"A little rebellious, but we're managing," Ron chuckled, shooting him look, "but... Can we keep to the subject? What are we doing about Harry?"

"I'm having Nymphadora rally up some of the Order members as we speak," he informed the redhead. "They'll all be here within a day... Then I suggest we have a trip to England."

* * *

Narcissa stared across the breakfast table, which was silent, then released a depressed sigh. She was in no mood to eat, yet she sipped daintily on a tea for show.

She, Eloise, Kevin and Annie had been 'escorted' rather roughly back to the manor after her boys had been hauled off to prison. Hermione accompanied them, stating she was going to stay with Narcissa until everything worked out, as she was sure the woman could use a hand with three children. While she was thankful for Hermione's help, she thought the young girl could have used rest, as he body was still fragile from Azkaban, and chasing around Annie all day would do her no good.

An officer explained to Narcissa that he and a few other men would be stationed around her property, and if anyone was to come or go, they needed to clear it with the officials. He also made it _very_ clear that no one with the last name of Malfoy was allowed to leave the home; only house elves were allowed out to fetch food and such. Should anyone break the rules set up, harsh chastisement was in store, unless it was Annie. If the child was too young to punish, Narcissa was informed she would be the one taking it for them.

This was the third time Lucius had been taken away to Azkaban. She worried about him so much the previous night that she barely slept; she hadn't even bothered to change her clothes, and was sadly still in her dress from the previous day. What if no one came to help him? While Lucius hadn't been as cruel as his reputation suggested over the past decade or so, not everyone was jumping at the chance to get the Malfoys out of a ditch. They were a rich, powerful family, and most people would try to worm some sort of reward out of her for her family's rescue.

It was heart wrenching to watch her boys dragged away; Lucius, Draco and Shane. Her son had never been in prison, not properly anyway, and she hoped he wouldn't lose his cool and create more havoc. But, knowing Draco's temper, it was bound to happen. Shane, as far as she was concerned, was much too young for jail. He was _only_ sixteen! Since when had the proper age for wizards dropped so low? The last time she remembered, the proper age was seventeen.

Alas, once again the 'powerful' Lord Voldemort has completely desecrated her family life.

She glared spitefully at her cup, then took another sip, the liquid barely leaving a taste in her mouth as it slid down her throat. The table was virtually silent that morning. Hermione offered to make sure Annie ate everything, and every so often she would make a scolding noise as the little girl pushed her food around her plate. Kevin sat next to Narcissa, glumly nibbling on a piece of fruit as Eloise did the same across the table from him, her expression similar.

"What are we going to do now, Grandmother?" Eloise inquired suddenly, her voice hoarse. Narcissa had taken a stroll around the manor when she found sleep evading her, and heard her granddaughter sobbing loudly in her room when she walked past it. Betrayal and the depravation of her loved ones; Eloise could only be expected to cry.

"We keep a positive attitude," Narcissa replied finally, trying to keep her own voice steady. "Don't let them see that this bothers you... You have to be strong during times like these, and you need to remember that family is the most important thing."

"I know," Eloise muttered, setting her fork down. "How's dad going to get out? What if they kill someone?"

Narcissa felt her lip quiver, and Hermione stepped in to answer the questions, "Eloise, don't talk like that... We still have a week before anything happens. Harry's arrest was in the paper this morning... I'm sure my ... Order will see it, and they won't just let him die. I'm going to try and contact them, with Ginny's help, to see if we can get them down as soon as possible."

The woman of Draco's affections was no longer speaking directly to Eloise, but rather to Narcissa, as though to reassure her of a plan, "Ron wouldn't let his best friend die, and I won't allow anything to happen to Draco, or Shane, or Lucius... There's bound to be a loop hole... Some decree that was granted to the Malfoy family once Voldemort won the war. When I find that, I can use it against them."

"You can't fight his system, Hermione," Narcissa argued feebly, sighing. "He always wins... He always has."

"I haven't always been this involved, have I?" Hermione mused, shooting the blonde woman a small grin, "I won't let anything to happen."

While Narcissa wanted to believe her, there was so much that had happened over the past few months, and she wasn't quite sure what to follow anymore.

"I miss Daddy," Annie wailed suddenly, causing Narcissa to jump at the shocking pitch her granddaughter had reached. "I want to see him!"

"Sweetie, we're not allowed to see him yet," Hermione soothed, wrapping her arm around the tiny girl to comfort her. "Soon, all right?"

"Did he do something bad?"

"No, no," Hermione gasped, shaking her head and tucking some of Annie's hair behind her ears. "No, Daddy didn't do anything bad... Those men are the bad ones."

"Oh..."

"We'll get Daddy, and Shane, and your grandfather out soon."

"When?"

"Soon, Annie. I can't tell you anymore."

"Why?"

"Because she doesn't know, Annie," Kevin growled out suddenly, glaring at his little sister. "Just shut up."

"Kevin!"

"What? She's being annoying!"

Despite the clamor that was taking place at the table, Narcissa managed to hear something else; more shouting coming from the front half of the house. She rose from the chair, ignoring how Hermione and Kevin were now bickering, and departed from the dining hall. Frowning, she spotted a pair of men, their outlines, arguing heatedly outside her front window through the curtains.

They weren't supposed to come this close to the house! Narcissa stalked across the entrance hall and flung the door open, only to relax slightly when she noticed it was Severus who was snarling at the officer.

"I'm their tutor!" Severus hissed, his wand sliding out from his sleeve, "If they can't come to my home, then I will go to theirs."

"How dedicated of you," the young officer snickered, rolling his eyes. "Look-"

"You've forgotten _I_ wasn't the one charged with holding Potter," Severus droned calmly, his voice suddenly eerie. "If I must, I will file a report against you for some obscene charge, and it'll be your word against mine, Severus Snape. Are you really willing to put your life on the line just to stop me from doing my job?"

Narcissa smirked as the officer muttered some form of an apology, then stepped aside to let her friend through. Snape shot the younger man a sneer, then entered the house, slamming the door harshly behind him.

"You didn't really need to come," Narcissa murmured, rubbing her arm as Severus removed his cloak and hung it over the rack. "No one is really in the mood to study-"

"I'm not here for that, Cissa," he remarked gently, taking a step toward her and placing a firm hand on her shoulder. "I'm here to help you."

"Hermione's here," she informed him, her monotone having very little effect on him. "I've done this before, Severus... I know how to take care of myself."

"Alas, your last experience you only lost a husband, but now you've lost much more than that," Severus fired back, turning her around and slowly marching her toward the staircase. "I want you to go shower, then change your clothes."

"Yes... I ... I was going to do that sometime."

The dog snuck dejectedly past the pair and made a run for the kitchen, no doubt wondering why his masters were so unhappy. She let out a sigh, then turned back to her old friend, her eyes welling with tears, "Severus, I don't know what to do this time! Things are different now... I can't buy them out of this!"

"No one expects you to," he laughed, flipping her back around a little more forcefully and moving her up the staircase. "Now go shower... I'll see how Ms. Granger is doing with the children."

"Kevin's a little moody," Narcissa muttered, remembering his snark attitude. "Watch him."

"Will do... Go shower, Narcissa."

* * *

Lucius let out a small grumble, mostly at himself for allowing to be taken into captivity so easily. He had thought about grabbing his wife and apparating away as quickly as he could, but the rest of his family was still standing there that fateful afternoon he had been arrested, and he would never be able to live with himself if he abandoned them.

He, Draco, Potter and Shane were all brought inside Azkaban, and from the looks of things, not much had changed since Voldemort took over. It was still the same grimy, dirty, Hell-sent place that the Devil himself had made all those long years ago. Cold memories returned to him as soon as he was stripped of his wand, his regal clothes, which were replaced with a jail suit, and he was stuffed into a cell, away from the rest of his family.

If things were still working the same, Draco and Harry would end up together, while he was put with older prisoners and Shane with the youthful ones in a completely different wing. He had one cellmate, though he could barely see the man's face. His hair had grown so wild, and his beard so shaggy, that while he slept, Lucius couldn't even be bothered to lift some tuffs of hair to try and find a distinguishable figure. The man had woken some time ago, he knew, and was just sitting there with his eyes closed, head resting between his knees. He was thin, no doubts there, and looked very much like Lucius had after spending a great deal of time in prison; like death.

That stupid little boy, Will. He swore on his own grave that he would make sure that boy was dead before Lucius faced his fate. The damn git would suffer under his wand until Lucius saw fit to kill him. Why he had the urge to betray Eloise and the rest of the Malfoy family was completely beyond him, though Lucius could imagine it was something he would do when he was younger, and more involved with Voldemort. The Dark Lord routine was getting old now, and Lucius had hoped that once he won the war, his family would finally be able to slowly break away from Voldemort's grasp. However, that dream was in vain.

The man suddenly let out a snort, and Lucius' head snapped over his in direction, glaring, "Something amusing?"

"Well, a little," the man replied, his voice cracking from lack of use. "I never thought I would see another living soul ... I haven't for almost fifteen years... It's rather ironic that you and I are going to die together."

Lucius frowned, shifting his body around on the filthy floor to get a better look at the man. He still couldn't match a name to the face, and he cleared his throat, "Do we know each other?"

"We've always known each other," the man chuckled, pushing some hair out of his face to reveal a set of brown eyes, odd for having such filthy red hair. "Lucius Malfoy... Here we are again."

"I don't recall ever being around you before," Lucius remarked, racking his memory so he could cease looking like a bloody simpleton. "Did we work together?"

"No... No," the man mused, shaking his head. "Far from it... We hated each other."

"Ah," Lucius laughed coldly, "I've hated a lot of people, and been hated by more, in my lifetime... You'll need to be more specific."

"Let me give you a hint," the man said finally, crawling forward in his disgusting jail outfit. "I love Muggles... and I collect spark plugs."

Lucius felt his eyes start to widen, "Arthur Weasley...?"

The man grinned, "Hello, Lucius."


	39. Adventure Stories

"I... I..." Lucius stammered, instantly recognizing his old enemy, "I was told you had been killed ... Your daughter..."

"Was the reason I ended up in this place," Arthur laughed, scratching at his head through a thick mass of hair. "How is Ginny, anyway?"

"Married... Doing well, I suppose," Lucius replied. "She's taken care of by a man who loves her."

"Who is he?"

"Will you hurt me if I tell you?"

"Depends..."

Lucius let out a sigh, then braced himself for some form of attack, "Severus Snape."

He wasn't quite sure why he was having such a civil conversation with filth like Arthur Weasley. The man had an odd fascination with Muggles, used to work for the old Ministry, and had been his opponent on the battle field time and time again. They had also seen each other in prison once before, except Arthur wasn't the one behind bars.

The man across from their empty cell exhaled deeply, "Does she love him?"

"Oddly enough... Yes," Lucius replied, hoping he was right. "She loves him."

"Then I have nothing bad to say, I suppose... My little girl is happy," Arthur remarked, smiling a little. "That's all that matters."

"Er... Yes... " Lucius trailed off, not sure what exactly he was supposed to say at a time like this. Arthur Weasley was the last person Lucius would have ever thought he would be forced to share a cell with. While half of his brain demanded he treat the other man like the piece of dirt he was, something else told him to just suck it up, and perhaps an advantage would come into play.

"How was the wedding?"

Lucius' eyes flickered up, and he frowned, "I don't recall there ever being one."

At least not one he had been invited to. Mind you, Snape didn't really have any other good friends of the family that he did things with, so Lucius assumed that they didn't have a ceremony.

"Shame... I'll have to ask her someday," Arthur muttered. "If she still remembers me... If I can get out of here."

"You've rather lost your spunk, Weasley," Lucius noted, wrinkling his nose at the weakness that the man now showed. "It's a little pathetic, really."

"I've been in this same cell for fifteen years, Malfoy," he spat back, his hands forming into balls. "I wish I had gone mad... At least I'd be able to keep myself entertained."

"Still sane as ever then?"

"Unfortunately."

Men had been known to go crazy after less than what Weasley had endured. Perhaps he still clung to sanity because he had hope for a better future. That was an admiral thing for Lucius. In his youth he never would have considered it something to be proud of, but for in this instance, he suddenly felt in awe of the man whom he had ridiculed for years on end.

"How did you end up in here, Weasley?" Lucius asked after a few moments of silence, deciding they had nothing better to do _but_ talk, "I thought your Order ran off to Scotland."

"They did... and I was there for a little while," Arthur replied, stretching his long legs out suddenly and making himself more comfortable, "but I came back here when my daughter was taken captive."

"Ah... Yes, that was an interesting time," Lucius murmured, remembering the constant era of fighting around that period. "So what got you into here? Being rude?"

"No... No, something completely unrelated to that," Arthur mused. "Care for a story, Malfoy?"

"I've got the time," Lucius droned, rolling his eyes.

With a small sigh, Arthur began, "We had just heard that Ginny was taken captive by Voldemort. He had sent that boy Dean Thomas back with a note that we were to remove our sanctions from London, and find somewhere else to keep our headquarters, or he'd kill Ginny. Naturally, no one wanted to adhere to threats like that, but we were all too worried about Ginny's well being, and half of us moved to the north to scout out new areas, while I hosted large numbers of people in my home.

After a month or so, Molly and I started to worry about our little girl more than ever before. Voldemort hadn't returned her, and we had heard nothing else from him about her. So, I decided to come find her myself, and personally bring her home. Molly called me a fool, but she wanted her daughter back just as badly as I did. So, I hide myself in my son's shops in Diagon Alley, then searched everywhere I could.

I broke into Death Eaters' houses, I held people at wandpoint... I even slipped them Veritaserum in order to find out the truth. Unfortunately, there were very few people whom Voldemort had told Ginny's whereabouts, and everyone proved useless...

Finally, someone sent me a letter informing me that Ginny had been last seen at Fernir Greyback's manor... I knew not to trust anonymous letters, but at that point I was desperate. So, I went over there, and managed to get in to look around for a while without being detected. I found her... She was in some guest cottage in the back. However, as I started my walk toward her, I was stunned from behind by some ruddy coward, Greyback no doubt.

So, next thing I knew... I was in some room, which turned out to be on a ship. I was being sent down to Spain, via Muggle transport, to work at some of the camps Voldemort had set up on the coasts. Horrified, I tried to break free, but no one would allow that, and while I was brought to the brink of death, no one killed me.

So, I worked at the camps for almost four months. A lot of Muggle labor, building things and such. Apparently a letter had been sent to all of our families, the workers I mean, that we were dead, and they should stop trying to find us. Perhaps that was why Ginny thought I was dead? No matter... Where was I? Ah. Well, after working at the camps, we were all shipped down for some sort of brainwashing at a facility in the forests. The people there weren't very effective, since most of the people I was with refused to change their ways of thinking. Some were killed, but most of the ones that didn't except the treatment, like me, were sent here... There used to be a lot more people in this wing. However, over time some have pretended to repent their ways, and said they will follow Voldemort to the end of the world and back again... They all did it just so they could get out, I'm sure.

I've been here for almost fifteen years now, as I've said before... I go through the same routine everyday... Wake up, use the loo, eat breakfast, if you can call this stuff food, make a few laps around the cell, then talk to the other people around me. Most of them are fascinated with my knowledge of Muggles -" at that point Lucius released a snort - "so I tell them stories and such... But as you can see, there's no one left alive in here but you and me."

At that rather poetic ending to the tale, Lucius ran a hand through his hair, grumbling at the fact that he had been in jail for less than a day and it was already greasy. He cleared his throat, "I don't really know what to say, Weasley... Though I suppose you were wrongly imprisoned, but I'm here to join your sad little club."

"Oh, and I suppose you're in here for helping an elderly lady across the road," Arthur growled, rolling his eyes. "What'd they get you for anyway?"

"I... I was helping get that damn Granger girl out of here," Lucius answered, shaking his head. "While keeping Potter from destroying everything, so I locked him in our basement until Draco figured things out..."

"What?" Arthur snapped, sitting up a little straighter, "Harry's here? Why were you helping Hermione?"

Lucius waited for a second or so before answering. Why shouldn't he tell Weasley everything? Atleast _someone_ out there would know the proper story. After carefully picking his words, Lucius began from where all good stories should start; the beginning. He told Arthur about the arrival of his new grandchildren, all of them mostly grown up already, all the way through to Draco running into Hermione, and her staying with them at the house, then her arrest, and then the last few months were told in awkward detail.

It was nice to finally just tell another person who _wasn't_ involved in the family affairs what had really been happening, even if it was Arthur Weasley.

The redhead listened intently, nodding every so often as Lucius explained his situation. After it was all said and done, Lucius waited in silence. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to tell him about everything? Oh, what did it really matter in the end? They were both going to die in prison anyway.

"I never thought I'd see you with grandchildren before me," Arthur laughed suddenly. "Considering all the brats I've had..."

The tension was finally lifted, and Lucius released a weak laugh. He didn't want to bond with this damn Arthur Weasley, but there was no law against him enjoying his conversation.

"You know what, Malfoy?" Arthur said suddenly, finally standing up for the first time, "A thought just struck me."

"Do tell, Weasley," Lucius muttered, picking at his nails in an attempt to show some form of boredom.

The man pushed some more hair out of his face, his eyes suddenly wide, "I don't think we have to die in here..."

* * *

Hermione flipped through the stack of papers in her hand, her eyes skimming the sloppy scrawl for the name Malfoy anywhere.

She and Ginny had gone down to the Ministry bright and early that morning, in hopes that there would be something somewhere that stated the Malfoy family were forever allowed sanctuary because of their accomplishments during the first war. Ginny told her Snape had an entire book filled with his deeds from the war, which meant that the Malfoys were bound to have one somewhere.

Narcissa had aided her in searching through the libraries at the manor the night before, and when they found nothing helpful, Snape immediately suggested checking the Ministry archives for something, since he remembered Lucius sticking some files in there at some point in time. Hermione knew there was no chance in Hell any Ministry official would allow her to go in alone, so Snape suggested taking Ginny with her. Apparently the Snapes were frequent visitors to the new Ministry, and the people had gotten to know Ginny well enough to admit her in most of the restricted areas.

The fact that she was married to Severus Snape definitely helped their case.

They had arrived early in the morning, and instantly began searching through the archives within the depths of the Ministry. Most of the time Hermione didn't speak to the people they ran into, and left Ginny to persuade them access to certain rooms. However, after searching through countless books, and numerous pieces of loose paper with shoddy writing on it, Hermione was starting to lose her patience.

Leaning heavily on her cane, she toddled back over to the bookshelf, then gently fitted the book she had been using as a reference back onto the shelf. It was still difficult to move at a fast pace, but her body was making a faster recovery now that she had a proper bed to sleep in, and was receiving _real_ food at mealtimes.

"Do you think they deleted it all once the Malfoys were arrested?" Ginny asked from the little wooden table near the back of the room, papers scattered everywhere in front of her, "I mean... Maybe they knew someone would come looking for information that would help them..."

"Whatever the case is, this is getting ridiculous," Hermione groaned, limping back over to the table and picking up a random piece of paper at will. "Look at this... There's a whole bloody page dedicated to Vincent Crabbe, yet there's _nothing_ on Draco! I've checked books with the 'D' names in it, the 'M'... I've even read through that heroes of war novel in the back... Well, skimmed it, but there's nothing on Lucius or Draco!"

"That's stupid," Ginny growled, pulling her straight red hair back into a ponytail. "According to Severus, Draco was heavily involved with Voldemort's first regime, which means he should be mentioned in numerous books... And Lucius should be mentioned just because he's been a Death Eater for almost thirty years now. I think someone's done some editing."

"Sounds like something Dean would do before he arrested everyone," Hermione grumbled, easing herself down onto the chair.

Ginny's face paled at the mention of her old boyfriend, and she glared at her book, "I may just kill him... He arrested Harry out of spite... I don't know why he continued to serve as a Death Eater, it's not like he was much use to anyone."

"We all thought he was on our side," Hermione sighed, shaking her head. "No one really suspected him to change."

"Suppose I had a little bit to do with that," Ginny murmured, frowning. "He did join to get me out... and then..."

"Yeah, but it was his fault... None of us took the mark when it came to spying on people."

They fell into a stillness as both girls buried themselves back in their work, each trying desperately to find something they could use.

Hermione was not taking Draco's arrest as badly as Narcissa was, but she couldn't help but feel a massive wave of guilt sweep over her. If she had never entered his life, he wouldn't be in prison at the moment. However, she could no longer imagine anything without Draco. While it had happened fast, she didn't want to be apart anymore.

Also, she pushed herself further for Harry. He had been there for her so many times in the past, and was even willing to trade himself in to get her out of jail. All those years apart, and their friendship still remained strong as ever. Gods, she loved them both.

"Ladies," came a stern voice from the door, "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Hermione glanced up and noticed an older official in a deep brown velvet robe staring down his nose at them through small spectacles. She slowly closed her book, then rose, "Why?"

"I've just been notified that you aren't allowed to be in here," he replied smoothly, pulling out his wand, "and I was told to use _force_ to ensure everything went smoothly with your removal, Ms. Granger."

"Eh, listen here," Ginny sneered, standing up so quickly she ended up pushing her chair back. "We were allowed to go in here... We were cleared through every bloody wing we walked through."

"You were, Madame Snape," he clarified. "However, Ms. Granger is not a member of the Ministry, nor is she related to anyone that is or was... I'm going to have to escort you out."

"I don't think so," Ginny snapped, rolling her eyes. "She's here with me-"

"It's fine, Ginny," Hermione sighed, picking up her green cloak and wrapping it around her thin body. "We're not finding what we want anyway."

"Yeah, but we could still do some looking-"

"Not today... My eyes can't focus on writing anymore."

"Fine."

They gathered up whatever they had brought with them, including a bag to bring a lunch, then decided to escort themselves out, Ginny shoving past the official as she walked through the door.

"Calm down, Ginny," Hermione ordered as her friend grasped on of her arms, aiding her as she walked through the narrow corridors of the Ministry building. "There's no sense in getting frustrated with people... It means they're winning."

"I hate it when they get all smug like that," she grumbled, her pace picking up a little, which caused Hermione to struggle to keep up. "I mean... Where do they get off thinking they're better than us?"

"Better than me, not you."

"True."

Hermione giggled softly to herself, and they made their way out of the Ministry within around ten minutes. The building was so much larger than just the areas that they had seen, and Hermione knew that if she really wanted to go deep inside the vaults, she could be lost for hours, which was a frightening idea.

Once they were outside, Hermione pulled her hood up over her head, as it was starting to rain, and Ginny did the same. They walked along the emptying streets together, deciding it was time to find something to eat. Unfortunately, they were hassled by a beggar on the curb of one of the alleys after they apparated in to the wizarding section of London. Ginny merely pulled out her wand and told him to piss off, but as they kept walking, Hermione had the dreadful feeling that they were being followed.

"Ginny," Hermione murmured, glancing over her shoulder and noting how the very same beggar who had grasped at her cloak only minutes earlier, trying to pull her off somewhere, was following close behind. Her friend looked back, then rolled her eyes, finally releasing her arm and turning back to face the man.

"Look," she snarled as the rain started to pour heavier, "either bugger off, or I'll be forced to change you into something nasty, understood? And don't think I _won't_ do it!"

"C'mon... Don't be like that, Gin," the beggar snorted, crawling forward a little more, "I'm not going to hurt you... I just don't want people flat out seeing who I am, all right?"

Hermione's heart stopped pounding for a moment; she could recognize that voice anywhere.

"Ron!" Ginny shrieked, diving forward and falling onto the wet ground to give her brother a hug, "Oh Gods, where the Devil have you been?"

"Hi, Ginny," he gasped, his face a little more visible as his sister wrapped her arms around his neck, "I was going for subtly in case someone was watching... but you've ruined that."

"Sorry," she giggled, helping him to his feet and smiling broadly as he pulled off his hood, "I've missed you so much!"

"Me too," he laughed, accepting another crushing hug from her as they stood there in the empty, pouring outdoors. Everyone smart had gone and hidden themselves inside, as the rain was slowly turning from water to hail, and Hermione cleared her throat to remind them they were going to catch their deaths if they continued to stand outside. The brother and sister finally broke away, and Ron looked up at her, his smile faltering a little, "Hello, Hermione."

"Hello, Ron," she greeted, stepping forward into a puddle to give him a hug. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and his locked around her waist, and for that moment, time seemed to freeze. She had missed this man, her best friend, more than anyone on this planet. Her oldest crush...

Hermione loosened her arms to step away, but she found his still stayed firmly around her, so she held on for just a little while longer.

"I've missed you," she whispered in his ear. She felt him smile, yet he remained silent, keeping her against his body as the hail started to pelt down through a dark sky.


	40. Schemes and Dreams

**USUAL DISCLAIMER. JUST FOR EVERYONE'S SAKE. **

* * *

"Remus... This is taking a lot longer than I thought it would," Nymphadora sighed, shooting him a look from across their Muggle hotel room. "What if Ron didn't find them?"

"Nonsense," Remus mused, barely looking up from his book to pay his wife's comment any mind. "Ron's gotten a lot better at tracking than we expected... Remember he passed all the tests on the first try, which isn't really what I can say for someone else."

He shot her a cheeky look and she glared, rolling her eyes dramatically.

They had arrived in London that morning, and after checking into a discreet Muggle hotel, Ron vanished into the back streets, disguised as a beggar. He promised them he would find his sister and Hermione in less than a day, and while the clock was ticking away, Remus trusted the young man.

He had proved himself to be on top of the game time and time again, and along with Harry, Ron was a dangerous force to be reckoned with, if he had his mind set on a certain task. There were times in which he would get distracted and wander off to do something else, but everyone had days like that.

"I'm being serious here, you," his wife snapped, crossing the room and snatching the book out of his hand. "He's taking a long time..."

"And you're bored?" Remus mused, knowing his younger wife all too well. She sighed, then swatted at his legs, forcing him to uncross them so she could sit on his lap. Once she had made herself comfortable, she wrapped her arm lazily around the back of the chair, chewing on her lip as she sunk into thought. No doubt she wanted to be out helping Ron find the girls, but Remus thought Ron would do a better job when he was alone. Nymphadora was rather clumsy, and though he would never say it to her face, Remus had a sinking feeling that she would slow Ron down more than anything.

The door unlocked from the outside, and Tonks instantly rose, her wand in hand. While Remus wanted to be cautious, he didn't believe they should be paranoid. A moment later, a rather wet trio of people stumbled in, Ron at the head of them. Remus stood, a broad smile crossing his face when his eyes fell upon two girls who held a soft spot in his heart.

"Lupin!" Hermione cried, "Tonks! Ron didn't tell us you two were going to be here!"

"Can't trust men with explaining things, can you?" Tonks giggled, hurrying to the pair and pulling them into a hug, "Stormy weather?"

"Can you tell?" Ginny laughed as she embraced a long lost friend, "Bloody Hell... It's been years... Letters just don't do the justice they should!"

Ginny and Tonks had been writing each other private letters over the past several years, but it was only recently that Remus had noticed the event was taking place. Apparently Ginny hadn't told her husband, Snape, yet either of the communication, and Remus had his doubts she ever would.

"Hello, Lupin!" Hermione greeted when she finally broke away from Tonks, rushing over to him to give him a quick hug. While it was not quite the over-the-top hug she had given to his wife, it was one that was long enough to be on the verge of uncomfortable. Remus had never really been one for hugs.

After a brief hug from Ginny, the five members settled down at random places around the room; Ron and Hermione took a seat on the bed, Tonks sat on the window ledge, Ginny leaned back against the wall, and Remus took up the chair he had previously been sitting in. At first, it seemed as if no one really knew what to say. Tonks started a few conversations, demanding Hermione tell her everything that had been happening, and why she was associated with Malfoy.

Hermione's cheeks tinted at the very mention of his name, and Remus noted how Ron's facial expression flickered to discontent for a moment, but returned back to eager as she began her tale. Apparently she had a run in with the Malfoys, all of them, in Diagon Alley while she was book shopping one afternoon, and everything had just sort of spiraled into an odd place after that. She and Malfoy had started dating, but they were quickly torn apart when she was arrested for associating with Harry. After almost a month in jail, Hermione was released, only to be replaced with Lucius and Draco Malfoy, along with Draco's eldest son, and Harry. Obviously her release had been staged, and set up to capture the others, but at the time no one had thought of it as anything to be suspicious about.

"So that leaves us at Harry being sentenced to death," Ron groaned, his face pale at the thought. Hermione cleared her throat. "Along with Draco... Everything's gotten so out of hand."

"Yes, but that's what happens in such an unstable government," Remus noted, folding his hands together neatly on his lap. "This falls apart after they're good for a little while... Everyone who hates Voldemort in control only needs to wait a little while longer... I'm sure something will go wrong and he will crumble."

"I don't know," Ginny interjected, shaking her head, "I've lived with them for a long time now... I just... I don't see how he could be weakened, you know?"

"Everyone's got a weak spot, Gin," Ron argued kindly, stretching his arm back.

Ginny said something along the lines of Voldemort having a lot of supporters; however, Remus had missed it, as he was paying a little more attention to Hermione and Ron than he should have. Ron's hand accidentally brushed against Hermione, and they both flinched away, their eyes averted to a different area around the room.

"W-Well, he can't be in power for that long," Hermione said finally, interrupting Tonks and Ginny as they chatted. "Hogwarts is his weak spot... He lives there now, and it is heavily guarded, but if stormed by the proper amount of people, then there's a chance it could be reclaimed for us."

"Are you suggesting we attack Hogwarts?" Remus asked, clarifying the concept for himself, "That's risky, Hermione... The entire Order couldn't do it alone."

"We'd need hundreds of people," Ginny snorted, crossing her arms. "Voldemort has all the staff at Hogwarts, who are all trained Death Eaters, most Lupin's age... Plus he's got so many teenagers willing to follow him because he promises them glory and bullocks like that."

Hermione sat in silence for a moment, then perked up, her eyes widening, "How many people are in the prisons?"

"What?"

"How many-"

"Hundreds," Ron stated, and Lupin instantly knew where she was going with her idea, "but, Hermione-"

"No, no, listen," she growled, her voice a little stronger than before. "There are hundreds of men and women in there who hate Voldemort, whether they took his mark or not-"

"And you want to break them free?" Tonks asked, cocking an eyebrow when Hermione nodded her head, "Look, Hermione, it's a good idea, but there are so many spells protecting Azkaban-"

"But if they were broken from the inside, and we attacked from the outside, we could overthrow it hassle-free!"

Remus leaned back in his chair, his mind processing the idea. It was risky, and there was no guarantee that everyone would follow the Order into battle, but it could work.

"Look, what if I was to get Draco to start a riot?" Hermione suggested, speaking rapidly as her mind formulated a plan, "Say in a week? The day before he's going to be executed... Harry and Draco have bonded a little, and they could organize it from inside. Meanwhile, you go back to Scotland and make battle attacks and strategies... Then, the day before you all need to attack Azkaban, you can attack the Malfoy Manor. There are only a few Ministry officials there to make sure Narcissa and her grandchildren stay inside, which means they'll be easily taken out, and no one will know the difference. You can house at the Malfoy's that night, then the next day attack the prison from the outside, while Draco and Harry lead an attack from the inside."

"Yeah, but-"

"Ron, I know not everyone will listen to Harry and Draco," Hermione stated firmly, brushing away his argument, "but they all want to get out! They all want to escape death... Even if they won't help us fight Voldemort, atleast we'll get Harry and Draco out, and all those people who honestly don't deserve to be in there! I've seen them... There are women in there who've never been involved with any political party, yet they were locked up. It's not right."

Remus rubbed his thin beard gently, restating everything Hermione had said to himself quietly. It could bloody well work, but only if they were careful.

"Wait, this sounds too easy," Ginny remarked, shaking her head once again. "Won't they suspect this?"

"They always suspect a riot at Azkaban," Remus replied, nodding. "That's why it'll be harder... But people have managed to do it before, and I'm sure we could do it again, but only if Harry and Malfoy can manage to get everyone to riot at once, otherwise someone will snitch, and they'll be killed."

"Look, I'm going to pop in to see Draco now then," Hermione volunteered. "I'll tell them about today, and hopefully we can just leave the rest up to them."

"They'll let you see him?" Remus inquired, frowning slightly.

Hermione shrugged, "Draco came to see me all the time in prison-" Ron made a face "-so I don't see why I won't be allowed to visit... All the guards know we have a relationship, so they'll think I'm just there to see my boyfriend."

* * *

"Never thought we'd see a rich snot like you down in the dirt with us, Malfoy."

"Yes," Draco growled, rolling his eyes as he sat in the corner of his cell. "You've established that already... And I've heard what you never thought would happen numerous times already."

"Lay off, you lot," Harry ordered beside him, sitting in a similar position on the floor against the bars of their cell, "I've already told you he's on our side."

"Yeah... But it's about time we got to have a go at him."

Draco rolled his eyes once again, shooting Potter an irritated look. They had been crammed into a cell which was already stuffed with five other men. Harry knew one of them, and Draco vaguely remembered the Irish, Gryffindor, Quidditch-obsessed Seamus Finnigan from his school days. Naturally, he and Harry bonded and swapped stories, while Draco was forced to defend himself against all the other men in the cell who no longer thought they needed to show him any respect whatsoever.  
Harry managed to step in just in time; Draco was sure he couldn't defend himself against physical attacks from four other men. Though he resented him for it, Harry explained to everyone that was listening how good a man Draco had become, and he gave up his freedom to rescue Hermione Granger, and helped Harry keep a low profile from the Ministry. While no one really seemed to trust him, they treated him with a little more dignity than he had expected. Harry seemed to have a rather large influence in Azkaban.

But considering half the bloody wizarding world all loved him at one point in time, Draco could see why.

He grew increasingly worried about Shane. He and his son had been separated as soon as they entered the prison, and he had no idea where he was. One of the other men, Trevor something, told him that he could see into the lower east wing through a hole in his cell, and that they had brought in a few teenagers the same day Draco arrived. Hopefully, Shane was down in a cell, unharmed by any of the guards. The boy was strong; Draco was sure he'd be able to hold his own for a little while.

The large steel door at the end of the narrow walkway was thrust open just as Seamus started to chat with the boys about a recent Quidditch scoring, and Draco turned his head back, eyes widening when he spotted his Hermione anxiously making her way toward his cell.

"Hermione!" Harry cried, rising to his feet and moving to the front of the cell, wrapping his hands around the bars.

She grinned weakly and paused in front of them, fiddling with her fingers awkwardly, "I just wanted to see you all... Seamus! When have you been in here?"

"Little while before you were brought in," he sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "You usually missed me when these oafs dragged you by."

She laughed nervously, tapping her cane on the ground for a moment before turning back to the guards, "You can leave now."

"Like Hell we're leaving you here alone, Granger."

"I just want to talk to my boyfriend," she pleaded, batting her eyes at them, "I promise I'll make it up to you afterwards."

Draco's eyebrows nearly raised themselves off his face as he looked up at Hermione, flirting her way along with the guards. One of them grinned, then muttered something to the other before departing. She shivered and gagged dramatically, "Sick perverts."

"Well, you sort of brought that one on yourself, Hermione," Harry mused, reaching out of the cell to rub her arm. "I hope you're here to talk to me, too."

"Of course I am," she snapped, still seeming a little antsy, "I just... This needs to go well."

"What needs to go well?" Draco asked, finally hauling himself up and standing next to Harry, "What's going on?"

Hermione bit her lip for a moment, her eyes darting between himself and Harry, then to the men behind them. She took a step closer, placing one hand on his, almost for security, "We need you to do something... We need everyone in here to do something."

"What-"

"I talked with Lupin today," she explained, turning her attention to Harry, "and we're going to attack the prison."

"Are you mad?" Draco barked, his eyes narrowing, "Hermione-"

"Hush," she hissed, her eyes darting back toward the main door to check for guards. "We know it's going to be difficult, and we know there are spells locking the place in. However, if you were all to remove them from the inside, we could use what members we have and bring down the security forces. You know there are only five or six guards working on each shift? The other ones are off duty somewhere... It's perfect!"

"So what, you want us to break out or something?" Harry snorted dryly, Draco's eyes widening when Hermione nodded, "That's insane."

"No, no it's not," she pressed, reaching inside the cell and squeezing his arm. "Look, it'll work... It's happened before! Draco, your aunt broke out of Azkaban, so I'm sure you can do it too. There are no Dementors to frighten you all out of your wits... You're dealing with humans here."

"And when we break out, then what?" Harry asked, his voice deathly serious, "Voldemort will have men here in a heartbeat."

At that point Seamus had made his way up the to front of the cell, and was listening intently, pushing a bit of his long, black hair out of his face, "Harry's right-"

"Be quiet and just listen to me," Hermione begged, her voice going a little higher than usual. "We're going to attack Hogwarts-"

"You lot have gone mental!"

"No, listen!" she commanded, "We're willing to aid everyone in this bloody prison to get them out."

Her voice was a little louder this time, yet not quite loud enough to call the chatting guards back in. A few men and women from other cells, however, had stopped their conversations to listen in, interested at Hermione's last statement.

She took a deep breath, acutely aware that there were more people listening to her this time around, "We want to bring Voldemort down, but the only way to do that is to remain completely discreet until the day of the attack. In seven days time, the Order of the Phoenix will be attacking this prison. We need you all to riot, then remove the charms that keep invaders out... If you manage to do that, we promise to keep you safe until we've attacked Voldemort. It's risky, but it needs to be done! You hate Voldemort, each and every one of you do... So, talk about it... I'll come back in three days to see what you've all decided. This could be our chance to get rid of Voldemort... Get him out of the government and out of our lives!"

Conversations boomed all around them, and Hermione let out a breath, then leaned in closer, "I'm trusting you... three to lead the attack. Persuade people to join in."

"That won't be difficult," Seamus laughed, his eyes traveling around the long hall of cells. "A lot of people hate Voldemort, and have always hated him... and the rest will join just to get out of here."

"Good," Hermione sighed, nodding her head a few times. "Good. I can't stay for long, since they'll suspect something, but I'll be back, I'll try and get as many other people on the outside as I can to join us... The Order isn't massive, I'm afraid."

"They'll do," Harry muttered, rubbing her arm once more before disappearing into the back of the cell, clearly persuading the men that were caged in with them to agree with the plan. Seamus followed his pursuit, and went to the cell at their left, chatting away with a larger man about this riot.

Draco shook his head, then reached out to hold Hermione in the only way possible with bars between them, "You're insane."

"I'm insane for you," she whispered, slipping both arms up his and leaning in to give him a quick kiss. He knew she only wanted to stay lip locked for a moment, but Draco couldn't help but hold her there, earning him a shocked squeal from his girl. Despite the catcalls, Hermione pressed her body up against the bars, their kiss quickly heating up right in front of everyone.

"All right, all right," Harry called from behind. "Get a room."

"I'd love to," Draco laughed, breaking the kiss to stare down at Hermione's flushed face. "Believe me... I'd love to."

"Be good," she whispered, giving him another sharp peck. "I'll be back soon."

"Be safe," he mumbled as she left, hobbling down the hall as quickly as she could, her cane barely heard over the rapid conversations erupting from all the members in the prison wing. He ran a hand through his hair, softly whispering, "There is no way this is going to work..."

* * *

I slammed my textbook closed, deciding I had had enough of schoolwork for one day. It was difficult to actually concentrate on anything I had been doing. All this time... Will was just using me to spy on my family. I had never been so hurt before, and now Dad was gone, along with Shane and Lucius... I don't know how this family is going to survive if they die.

Aunt Hermione keeps telling us to be hopeful, and that she will get them out as soon as she can, but somehow I don't think there is going to be a happy ending to this. Even Bo is depressed around here... He just mopes around after Annie, who has already lost her lively spunk within two days of everything happening. Kevin, it seems, has been affected the worst, and has only left his room for meal times, and the occasion lessons that Snape continues to give us.

Though I am kinda thankful Snape and Ginny are staying with us. It makes me feel a little safer that atleast someone with a wand is here for us; all of ours have been taken away.

"Little miss?"

I glanced up from my desk, spotting one of the house elves at the door, "Yes?"

"You have a visitor... He is waiting downstairs."

"He?" I asked, frowning. My heart actually leapt at the thought of it being Will, even though my head instantly hated myself for it. With a sigh, I rose and started towards the door of my room, stealing a glance at myself in the mirror before heading toward the staircase. I looked like crap; my eyes were puffy and swollen from crying, my hair was tangly from not showering in two days (I just haven't really seen the need to), and I was currently wearing one of Shane's old t-shirts and a baggy pair of grey pants.

I rolled my eyes as I descended down the small staircase, then stopped halfway, my jaw dropping,

"Darius?"

And there he was - Darius Zabini standing in my front hall, looking rather smug and proud of himself. He shot me a grin, then clasped his hands together behind his back, "Hello, love."

"Can I help you?" I demanded, stomping down the last few stairs, "Because I don't really see a need for you to be in my bloody house!"

"Now, now, temper," he chuckled, still smiling at me. "Now that your boyfriend has betrayed you, and everyone's gone, I thought you could use some company."

I paused, my face either paling or colouring, I wasn't too sure which one it was, "What... How did you know Will turned them in?"

"It was all over the papers," he laughed, shrugging his shoulders arrogantly, "but I guess being under house arrest keeps you from being up to date with the latest gossip."

It took every ounce of restraint in me to keep from leaping at him and tearing his eyes out. However, I don't think anyone would look too kindly upon manslaughter...

Well, maybe that way I could get to see Shane in jail, which was always a plus.

"Get the fuck out of my house before I hurt you, Zabini," I snarled, my hands balling into fists. "What makes you think I would want to see you anyway?"

"I dunno," he mused, taking a step closer, "I think our relationship can be taken to the next level now that that git's out of the way-"

"Piss off!"

"Eloise, Eloise, Eloise" Darius sighed, shaking his head and reaching out to touch me. "Why do we fight like this?"

"Get out of my house, now," I hissed, my eyes narrowing as I shoved his hand away from my body, "or I swear to-"

"What are you going to do?" he inquired skeptically, "Try and hit me? We've already seen that I'm stronger than you..."

Memories of that horrible evening at the Hogwarts castle came flooding back to me, and once again I had to restrain myself from lashing out and hurting him. However, once again someone came to my rescue.

"I believe Ms. Malfoy has made it perfectly clear she doesn't want you here," Snape purred as he stepped out of a nearby library, book in hand. He glanced at me for confirmation, and I hastily nodded, loving the idea of Snape throwing Darius out on his pompous arse, "So you may either leave now, on your own, or I'll be forced to remove you... Remember that I'm not here under house arrest, and can in fact handle a wand better than you ever will."

"There won't always be someone there watching you," Darius spat before stalking out of the house, slamming the front door thunderously behind him. Dejected, and a little frightened, I thanked Snape the best I could, then slunk back to my room, deciding to lock myself in there until the next meal.

* * *

Narcissa stared out the front window longingly, then decided she had spent enough time indoors for one day. She and Lucius always shared the common joy of going for long walks, but now that he was gone, she had no one to do it with. Not that it really mattered; she could walk on her own.

After throwing on a long cloak and slipping into some shoes, Narcissa checked herself over in the downstairs mirror. She looked a little more tired than usual, but her blonde hair was cleaner now that she was properly showering and putting some effort into her appearance.  
Holding her head up high, she opened the front door with a full sense of pride in her step, only to be stopped by a trio of men standing along the front walkway.

"Now, now, no one leaves the house," one stated, pulling out his wand as she stepped outside into the fresh air. "Back in you go."

"I'm not running off," Narcissa argued, rolling her eyes, "I simply need a walk... It's stuffy inside."

"Well, that's a shame," another cooed, moving up a little closer so that he was standing beside her, "because I don't think you're allowed to leave."

There was no reason to keep her from going anywhere! There were men posted around the property; she couldn't run even if she tried. Besides, it's not like she would abandon her grandchildren now.

"This is ridiculous," she groaned, crossing her arms over her chest when she suddenly caught one of them looking there, "I am going for a walk. It's not a complicated procedure... You can walk with me if you'd like."

"Well, there are a lot of things I wouldn't mind doing with you," the third man commented, taking another step closer to her. "What say you give us a little persuasion... Maybe we can loosen the rules a little bit."

Narcissa's eyes widened at the very suggestion, and she wrinkled her nose in disgust, "Excuse me?"

"Oh, c'mon, you're a pretty lady," one remarked, finally closing the space between their bodies and resting a hand on her behind. "Persuade us... Maybe we'll get rid of a few rules all together."

"Get your hand off of me!" Narcissa shrieked, slapping his hand away and shooting a steely glare at all three of them, "I am certainly not going to persuade you of anything-"

"Aw, don't be like that," one chuckled, taking his turn at grabbing her arse. "We could make it fun!"

Narcissa pushed the man away from her with the best of her abilities, but another one grabbed her arm to keep it from flying out and hitting one of them in the face. She grunted, trying vainly to rip her arm out of his grasp, but to her dismay he proved too strong for her. However, her struggle barely lasted, as before she knew what was happening, Kevin had come barreling out of the doorway, tackling one of the men to the ground.

"Kevin!" Narcissa gasped, quickly reaching for her grandson when her captor released her arm, searching in his cloak for his wand. Before any real harm could befall her grandson, she dragged him inside, slamming the door earnestly and leaning back against it, breathing heavily.

"Thank you-"

"S'all right," Kevin muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, "I just got really angry when I saw it... after what happened with Loo and everything."

Kevin thought they were going to rape her? Narcissa wanted to soothe his worries that she could have gotten away, but somehow she knew that would have sounded false even to her ears.

"What's happening out there?" Severus demanded, coming out of the dining hall with a scowl on his face, "Are they still bothering you, Cissa?"

"Well-"

"They were all feeling her up when she went outside," Kevin blurted before Narcissa could answer. "So I went and got 'em."

Snape's features contorted into fury, and in a deadly calm voice he turned to Narcissa and asked, "Is that true?"

"Well... They told me to persuade them to-"

Prior to finishing her explanation, Severus was already stalking out toward the door, his wand in hand. He ripped it open, then slammed it behind him, his hoarse voice echoing through the thick walls as he shouted at the officials, the distinct sounds of curses being flung evident to Narcissa's hearing.


	41. Boys, boys, boys

"You asked to see me, my Lord?" Severus Snape inquired as he stood at the door of the headmaster's office, Hogwarts Castle. He had been summoned that morning to have a little talk with Voldemort, only after he ended up paralyzing one of the Ministry officials. It wasn't his fault, really. If they had just learned to control their damn urges and rented some prostitute like every other single man alive, then they wouldn't have to deal with him.

"Ah, yes... Enter, Snape," Voldemort beckoned from his desk, barely looking up from the thick textbook that was spread out before him. Snape had learned how to mask his fear years ago, and he had become rather skilled at it when it came to dealing with Voldemort. The man may frighten everyone else, but at least Snape knew how to cover it up.

He entered the office with a confident stride in his step. He knew the place off by heart; he and Albus had endured many late night chats in this very room, and while it was a little more cluttered with books, nothing had changed.

"What can I do for you today, my Lord?" Snape inquired, folding his hands neatly in front of him as he stared up at Voldemort, the man's desk elevated on a massive stone step.

Voldemort remained silent, flipping through a few pages in his large book before slamming it closed, his eyes narrowing at Snape, "I received some interesting news about you recently... Do you know what that was?"

"I haven't the slightest idea-"

"Everyone may think you're a good liar, Snape," Voldemort mused, cutting him off before he could say anything else, "but I think you're simply dreadful."

Snape cleared his throat awkwardly, shifting his weight a little before stating, "My Lord, I honestly don't know why I'm here... There could be a multitude of reasons."

"Oh? Could there?" Voldemort chuckled, leaning back in his seat, his fork tongue flickering out every so often, "Well, do tell... What else have you done?"

"Nothing, my Lord," was the standard response that almost fell out of his mouth. "Am I here because I paralyzed the Ministry official?"

Voldemort steepled his fingers, eyes narrowing once again, "Yes."

He almost felt the urge to just roll his eyes at the entire situation. However, he was a grown man, not some pathetic five year old, and would have to formulate his sentences carefully to avoid getting hexed.

"My Lord," Snape began, using his hands to demonstrate his wording. "You know how very dear Narcissa Malfoy is to me... She always has been."

"Yes... And?"

"Well, the thought of the men trying to touch her, a married woman to one of my closest friends sort of sent me into a spiral of rage," Snape explained neatly, shrugging his shoulders. "You must agree... They're young and ignorant, and they think they own everything. You should invest in some older men, ones who have been around since the beginning to control-"

"The Malfoy women do not need _control_, Snape," Voldemort snorted, rising swiftly, his black cloak willowing around him. "Hence why I sent those morons to keep watch... I use more important men for different things."

"So you approve of them trying to violate her?"

"I hardly think it would have evolved to that-"

"My Lord, be reasonable-"

"Are you trying to come in here and tell me how to run things, Snape," Voldemort hissed, silencing him at once. "You've done it before... Perhaps I'll have to teach you your place again, too."

Snape relived the painful memory for a moment, then shook his head, "My Lord, I'm merely expressing my opinion... You know I value your leadership, and respect it."

For now, anyway.

"Of course you do," Voldemort muttered, lowering himself back into his plush chair. "Everyone does."

Snape stood silent for a moment, then decided to change the subject, before Voldemort remembered some other thing that Snape had done wrong and decide it was time to punish him. Sadly, the first thing that came to mind was, "Congratulations on the capture of Potter."

He wasn't too sure how he should feel about Harry Potter being arrested. Ginny was extremely distressed with the whole situation, and while he was _trying_ to be supportive, it was difficult when he couldn't stand the boy. However, the fact that Harry had told Ginny not to betray his trust, and sent her home untouched did make him a little more respectable. Everyone he knew and cared for wanted Harry to be safe, yet Snape felt torn. Years of loathing couldn't just be swept aside. So while he was in the company of Voldemort, he could hate Harry.

"Ah yes, my time has finally come," Voldemort sighed fondly, stroking his chin as he stared off into the distance. "I knew if I left Potter alone for a while, he'd come crawling back... It's like the boy wants to die."

"He wants to be valiant in the eyes of his peers," Snape muttered, disgusted. "Nothing has changed."

"Perhaps," Voldemort replied, shaking his head, his eyes snapping back into focus, "but I think he's smarter this time, Snape... We need to watch him."

"Understandable," Snape agreed. He wouldn't actually inform Voldemort of Harry's wrongdoings, as Ginny would skin him alive, but he would keep an eye on the boy.

"My Lord, may I request a job?" Snape asked suddenly, a thought coming to mind. Voldemort cocked an eyebrow, and Snape went on, knowing he was really going to be pushing his luck, "Might I request you remove the officials from the Malfoy Manor, and place me in charge of security? I can control Narcissa, and with that, she can control the children... They really shouldn't be something you waste men on."

Voldemort let out a laugh, high and cold, "Really Snape... You're much too close to that family for my liking... I'll keep the men there. If you don't stop hurting them, however, I will ban you from setting foot on that property. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"Good. You're dismissed then."

"Thank you, my Lord."

Standard responses; they were by far second nature by now.

* * *

Lucius exchanged an amused glance with Arthur, then settled back against the bars of his cell, watching as a pair of guards came to deliver their food. His new companion was seated on the floor near the door of the cell, picking at his filthy, chewed down nails in an attempt to display boredom.

"And how are we fine gents today?" the guard carrying the tray of food inquired as his associate opened the gate with his wand, "Enjoying each other's company?"

"Immensely," Lucius sneered, rolling his eyes noticeably as the guard stepped inside, "but I must ask of your own feelings today, gentlemen... How are you?"

"Madness taken over already, Malfoy?" the guard snorted, walking past him and setting the tray of food on the floor in the corner, making it drop hard enough so the bread rolls (if one could call those rocks 'bread') rolled off and onto the floor, "because I don't recall you ever being polite."

Lucius grinned, pushing his baggy, dirty uniform sleeves up to his elbows, "No... No, I don't ever recall being polite either."

Before the guard could turn to leave the cell, Lucius' fist flew across and smashed right into the side of his face, sending his sprawling out on the ground. As he fell, Arthur reached up and snatched his wand out of his cloak, stunning the other guard before he could do anything.

"Now _that_ wasn't very polite at all, Lucius Malfoy," Arthur commented with a grin, staring down at the wand in his shaking hand, "and it was easy, too."

"I've never been a polite man, Weasley," Lucius remarked, stepping over the unconscious body of the guard, then bending down to pick out the other one's wand, keeping it for himself. It felt foreign in his hands, but he knew his own wand would be back in his hands soon, where it belonged.

Arthur stunned both men again, and the duo performed a series of body binding hexes before locking the pair up in their cell. They stood silent for a moment in the narrow walkway between the two rows of cells, just looking at each other.

"We could run for freedom now, you know?" Arthur mused, scratching at his wooly beard, "It would be all too easy..."

"I'm not going to leave my son and grandson here," Lucius replied, shaking his head, a smirk slowly starting to form on his thin lips. "Besides... I think this is when the real fun starts."

They exchanged mischievous grins, an uncharacteristic trait for both of the older men, then took off down the hall in silence, each mentally picturing what havoc they could reap upon the remaining prison workers.


	42. Best laid plans

"So how are we helping Boy Wonder today?" Severus asked as Ginny and Hermione finished off their meals. Hermione had dropped by the house early that morning to discuss the day's plan with Ginny, and she had insisted they eat something before they leave. While her friend was reluctant to stop and take a lazy break, Ginny managed to persuade her.

"Don't call him that," Ginny snapped, rolling her eyes as her husband smirked at her. "It's a ridiculous nickname that I won't stand for in this house."

"Fine, fine, I'm sorry," he snorted, the words meaningless. "What are you doing today on this fruitless mission to rescue Potter?"

"And the Malfoys," Hermione added venomously, her eyes narrowing, "I would have thought you'd be more concerned for the safety of your friends, Snape."

"Lucius can handle himself just fine in prison," her husband remarked tightly. dabbing his mouth with his napkin and tossing it on his empty plate, "He'll think of something."

"We've already thought of something," Ginny retorted before she could stop herself, smugly content with the shocked expression on her husband's face.

The girls had debated bringing Severus into this whole riot idea for a good part of the previous day. It was the third day after Hermione had visited Draco, and she was returning that afternoon to see what the inmates agreed on. Severus was deathly loyal to Voldemort, and Ginny almost feared he would rat them out if they included him. However, she was sure there were ways of ensuring his silence, and his help.

"What is this marvelous plan then?" he inquired, slightly amused, "Flirting with the guards won't get you very far, I'm afraid."

"Don't be ridiculous," Ginny snorted. "Do you think _I_ would need to flirt with guards? Men do what I want... You know that, love."

"Ha ha," he droned coldly, sneering at her. "Out with it... What's this plan?"

"Well," Hermione sighed, glancing at Ginny once or twice before responding, "we... the Order and ourselves are going to attack the prison. Meanwhile, we've asked Harry and Draco to start a riot from the inside... That way we'd have easier access to the indoors."

"Ah, I see," Snape mused, his tone restrained, "and why would the prisoners not kill you upon seeing you? They could mistake you for someone in the Ministry."

"We thought about that, naturally," Ginny beamed. "We've decided to robe everyone in white... Hermione is going to the prison today to see if the inmates actually _want_ to riot, otherwise they'll be useless on the day... If they do, we'll be sure to tell them what the Order will be wearing."

"Sounds frivolous."

"Sounds brilliant," Ginny countered, mimicking his disgusted tone. "Today we're going to speak with Bellatrix and hopefully some of Draco's old friends. Some of them are more loyal to the Malfoys than they are to Voldemort."

"Why would you speak with Bella?" Severus inquired, cocking an eyebrow, "She won't help this childish-"

"She started a riot before," Hermione jumped in heatedly. "I'm sure she knows some of the back routes and trick bricks... Anything she can give us will be helpful."

"And you don't think she'll run along to Voldemort and explain everything that you all are doing?"

"It's not like we'll tell her what we're really there for," Ginny groaned, rolling her eyes. "We'll butter up her ego, then get her talking... Can we trust that _you_ won't run along to tattle?"

It was a cheap shot at her husband, and she knew it, but Ginny had to remind him that she understood his loyalty, and was wary of it.

"If you're involved, the Dark Lord will have me imprisoned for treason, no doubt, as you are my wife," Severus replied blankly, rising from his chair and smoothing his cloak over. "So, no. I won't tattle. Enjoy your day, ladies."

Ginny watched him stalk out of the dining hall, "Oh for... Give me a minute, Hermione."

"Go on."

Ginny rose and hurried out of the room after him, "Severus, wait!"

He paused once he was halfway down the hallway, no doubt to ensure Hermione didn't hear them bickering.

"I don't want you involved in this, Ginevra," he hissed, his eyes narrowing as he grasped her arm tightly. "It's dangerous, and if it fails, you will be killed without a thought."

"This means so much to me," she whispered, placing a delicate hand on his chest to try and control his temper. "Harry's still my best friend and I don't want him to die."

"He'll die sometime-"

"Severus, stop," she ordered briskly, shaking her head. "Try to understand my point of view for _once_ in this marriage. He means a lot to me, but I want you to be happy, too... I also need your help."

"With what? I don't want anything to do with the Order-"

"Well I'm going to help them, and you can either sit at home and pout, or you can join the fight," Ginny growled. "I know you killed Dumbledore, and I know they loathe you for it, but times are changing, Severus Snape, and someday you're going to need them."

"Don't be ridiculous-"

"Severus, please," she begged, her eyes wide as she searched for some hint of a breaking point. "If you love me, you'll do this for me."

She hardly ever used that line, since Ginny thought it horridly cliché and overused. However, that day she actually meant it, and hoped he would understand that.

Severus let out a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping a little, "That's not fair."

"It is fair," she murmured, leaning up on the tips of her toes to give him a soft peck on the lips. "Do this for me, Severus. We'll run far, far away if it doesn't work out, and no one will ever find us. But I want you by my side during the battle... You're my protector."

"I don't know, Ginny," he muttered, running a hand through her hair, "I suppose I'll tag along... Keep you out of harm."

There we go.

Ginny grinned broadly, then gave him a more forceful kiss, which he eagerly responded to, yet broke away quickly, "Was that all you wanted me to do?"

His tone made her shiver, but she reminded herself to stay focused, "No. Today I want you to speak with Crabbe and Goyle... They worship you, and Draco, and will do whatever they tell you to do. Neither are married, so it'll be easy for them to join in on the riot... "

"You think they'll abandon Voldemort?"

"They only joined because you and Draco told them too," Ginny snorted, remembering Snape's tales of how he had conned them into joining years ago. "Besides... It's not like they're benefiting from Voldemort's rule, and you know how they jump at the chance to do something for themselves."

His overall demeanor seemed hesitant, but Ginny was pretty sure that he was now on their side in the grand scheme of things. As she gave him one final kiss goodbye, Hermione met her in the front hall to apparate off to Bellatrix Lestrange's home. It would be a difficult task, as the woman loathed Hermione, and wasn't the fondest of Ginny, but she was sure the pair could somehow worm information out of her.

Had the redhead looked back, she would have seen her husband let out a tired sigh, then run a hand through his hair, a distinct expression of discontent on his face.

* * *

A security guard settled down at the cantine lunch table, eyeing his sandwich hungrily. He was one of the only ones that was allowed to be off duty now; prisoners had escaped, and they were somewhere loose in Azkaban. Things had been moved, supplies had been misplaced, and the guards were starting to become frightened that these men weren't actually men, but spirits who came in the form of two known figures, then transformed back to their ghostly selves.

"Rubbish," he muttered, scratching the back of his head as he stared down at his midday meal; there was something missing. Ah yes, mayonnaise. He turned back and headed toward the tray of condiments near the back of the room, snatching up the bottle of spread that looked as if it had never been opened. Smiling to himself, he read the fat content as he marched back over to his table, only to release a muffle cry when he realized his sandwich was missing!

Frightened, he slowly turned in a circle, taking in every inch of the room; there wasn't a soul to be found. He gulped, then pulled out his wand, "All right... Who's in here?"

_Behind you_ a ghostly voice purred in his ear. He flung around, firing off a stunning spell. The jet of light left his wand, then hurled itself back into the wall, denting it. His breathing started to increase and he tossed the mayonnaise bottle back onto the table, then tore out of the room in a sprint, shouting for some form of backup.

Lucius Malfoy and Arthur Weasley removed the Invisibility Cloaks they had stumbled upon during a nightly prowl, and Arthur shook the sandwich at the blonde victoriously, "Told you I could get us lunch."

"Fine... I owe you ten sickles when we get out," Lucius snarled, catching half of the sandwich that Arthur had tossed him, "but you didn't make him cry... So it'll only be five sickles."

"The day is still young, my friend," Arthur mused, slipping the cloak back on, a silly grin plastered across his face.

* * *

Shane tapped his forefinger against the metal bar of his cell, letting out a sigh of boredom. It was his third day in prison, and it really wasn't all that bad. Most of the people inside were his age, and they had all bonded over the fact that they hated Voldemort with a passion, and that they would rather be doing schoolwork at Hogwarts.

Most of the teens were English, a few from surrounding countries. However, there was a small cell full of Spaniards that had been brought back as prisoners of war from Voldemort's escapades down in Spain. It was pathetic that the man felt he needed to even _have_ prisoners of war from a different country in his prisons.

At first, Shane was frightened out of his mind. He was separated from his father and grandfather, then shoved into a room with a few other teens, everyone wearing a disgusting white uniform with a long series of numbers on the back. Everyone in the room was instructed to behave, or else they would be punished with no mercy. Then, they were dragged down into the east wing of Azkaban and stuffed into prison cells, most of which were already full.

He had at least expected the boys to be cruel; however, that theory was proven wrong when a friendly boy, no older than fourteen with dirty blonde hair, helped him to his feet with a warm smile on his face, asking him if he was all right. Not everyone was as kind as Max, but the young prisoners all seemed to bond quickly over common experiences and their hate for the new Ministry. Shane was forced to explain who he was, and while some kids resented the fact he was a Malfoy, others were in awe that the Ministry had even arrested him, and came to the conclusion that he couldn't have been _that_ evil.

It made him laugh when he heard some of the theories on the Malfoy family. He had to explain that they were a lot nicer than they liked people to believe, and his father was much more of a tolerable man than anyone could guess.

A door at the far end of the wing opened, and Shane heard someone gruffly tell a person they had five minutes, no more. He crawled to the edge of his cell, leaning his neck out as far as it could go to see who it was, and his whole body leapt for joy when he spotted Hermione making her way slowly down the aisle. She smiled at a few of the prisoners, greeting some by name, but didn't stop to chat. Obviously she had a very little amount of time to stay and talk, and Shane didn't want anyone hogging that.

"Oh, Shane, there you are," she cried, hurrying over to the cell and ruffling his hair with one hand, her other still pressed firmly on her cane. "How are you?"

"As good as can be expected, I suppose," he chuckled. "How-"

"I can't talk idly, Shane," she said firmly, cutting him off, "I need everyone to listen... Everyone, I need you to listen!"

A few conversations died down, but only a few. Hermione rolled her eyes, then moved a little closer to his cell, "There's going to be a riot in four days time."

"What?" Max exclaimed, shifting up beside Shane and listening in on the conversation, "A riot here? Who-"

"Please listen to me, as I'm only going to say it once," Hermione said sternly, earning her a few more sets of ears from the cells around Shane. "The west wing, a floor above you, is going to riot. No one must know, or it's going to spoil the whole plan. On the day of the riot, a special Order that works for justice and freedom is going to be attacking the prison to free everyone inside. They need the spells and charms lowered, which is why the prisoners are rioting. Once the Order gets inside, the guards will be dealt with, and everyone here _will_ be set free."

Shane's head was pounding with the new information. They were going to be free? In four days... He could escape death yet! He smiled at his clever aunt, wanting to reach through the bars and hug her, but in her fragile condition he feared she would just break.

"Now... You four," Hermione mused, stepping to the cell next to him, "we've discovered there are three bricks that are loose, and by the looks of them, haven't been repaired. The day before the riot, in three days, I'll need you to see if they slide out. If they do, just set them loosely back in, and wait for the riot to start. When it does, I need you to remove them, and start forcing more bricks out. It leads to the outdoors, and hopefully more people will be able to escape without trampling each other."

"And why are we listening to you?" inquired a rude little snot who Shane had never really liked, "How do we know she's not some spy for the Dark Lord? Maybe she was sent here to find out who the weaker ones are..."

A few people nodded, and regarded Hermione with nervous faces as she rolled her eyes, stomping her cane noisily on the floor to drone out the noise, "Nonsense. Absolute _nonsense_. I was imprisoned here for almost a month, and I know how much you all want freedom... To be able to see your family again, and do whatever you want in your free time! Whether you like it or not, a riot is going to start in four days time. If you don't want to leave your cell, stay. But once the Order takes over, the real criminals are going to be placed back behind bars... and you'll have them to deal with."

Shane was swayed by the argument, and instantly started telling his neighbours to pass the message on to people in the cell next to him. Soon, words were flying everywhere, and Hermione couldn't help but grin, "We're going to get each and every one of you out of here... Please keep it to yourselves, no one must know or people will start being killed."

She released a sigh, then reached through the cell bars and placed a light hand on Shane's arm, "Be safe... Don't do anything stupid. If anyone finds out, deny you know anything."

"Will do."

"I'll be here for you soon, I promise."

"Thank you..."

And with that, she was gone, hurrying down the walkway, stopping for a moment here and there to answer a dire question one of the teens had. Shane could tell she was annoyed with it, but she was very patient, and answered everything that people wanted to know.

Once the guards had escorted her out, a rumble of conversations broke out. However, the loudest voice was still the irritating boy who had questioned Hermione moments earlier.

"Why should we listen to her?" he demanded loudly, earning him the attention he obviously wanted, "Why-"

"Don't you know who she is, you stupid git?" one of the filthy girls snapped from across the wing in a different cell, her dirty red curls pushed behind her ears, "She's Hermione Granger... Auror, and best friend to Harry Potter, _and_ it's recorded in textbooks that she's one of the most brilliant witches of our time! Obviously she's got some truth about her."

"How do you know?" the boy snarled, glaring at her. She snorted, "Don't you read the paper? They're always on about her and Harry Potter... She was one of the people that led numerous attacks against Death Eaters around the country... I think we can trust her."

"Eh, how do you know her, Malfoy?"

Shane smiled proudly, his chin just a little higher, "She's my aunt."

* * *

Hermione collected her wand, which had been taken upon arrival, and headed for the main set of double doors. Atleast _that_ had gone smoother than her visit with Bellatrix Lestrange. The woman absolutely loathed her, and though she wouldn't say it out loud, Hermione knew she wanted to keep her from entering her house. Not that it really mattered, they buttered up her ego rather quickly, stating they were discussing Azkaban, and the most memorable figure from their era was the infamous Bellatrix. She was happy to tell them a few of her escape plots, one of them being the loose bricks in the east wing, in the seventh cell from the door, which was her old cell back in the day.

Severus had informed them after they returned to the Snape Manor that Crabbe and Goyle wanted to help rescue Draco, which meant they would be joining the Order in the attack against Azkaban. When Hermione delivered the happy news to Draco less than an hour ago, he seemed like he wanted to just drag her into the cell and have his way with her. The very idea of that made her blush, and she grinned throughout his entire explanation about how there was an enormous positive response to the idea of a riot, and nearly every single person in his wing was ready to fight their way out of prison without their wands.

From that moment on, Hermione had a feeling this was actually going to work. Draco and Harry seemed excited about the idea, and when Hermione informed them that the Order members were all going to be wearing white, distinct robes, Seamus started passing the message down to his friends in the neighboring cells, and the word spread like wildfire.

After a difficult goodbye from Draco, Hermione worked quickly to tell the teenagers in the east wing of the plan. Some didn't want it, but Hermione could honestly care less. Some were strong enough to fight, but it was really the adults in the vast west wing that she needed support from, and since she had gotten it, she spent less time with the eastern tenants of the jail.

Her last task was to inform Narcissa that the manor was going to be attacked in three days time, and that she shouldn't be alarmed, as the people there were going to help Hermione get Draco and Lucius and Shane out of the dreary lockup. However, before she could reach the door, a hand clamped down over her mouth, and she was hauled back under an invisibility cloak.

"Lucius!" she gasped when she whipped back to see who had nabbed her, "How... How did you escape? Why..."

"There's no time," Lucius hissed, his eyes darting from side to side. "Weasley and I are on the loose, and we're causing as much havoc as we can... We listened in on your riot idea, and while it's clever, you will need to control the masses afterwards. Arthur and I are going to spend the next few days instructing people what to do once all the guards are taken care of."

"Arthur..." she whispered, frowning a little, "Arthur Weasley? Oh, Lucius, he's-"

"Not dead," Lucius snarled, his eyes narrowing, "I don't have time for this... People are on the lookout for me everywhere, and the fact that you disappeared into thin air may be a little suspicious. Just know that Arthur and I will be doing the educating process while you're gone... Don't come back to Azkaban, all the guards are growing curious of your long chats with Draco."

"All right... I'll see you in four days then," she mumbled, squealing when he pushed her put from under the cloak. Standing still in the silence, she vaguely heard the sound of faint feet, bare as they slapped against the stone, taking off in the opposite direction.


	43. We go together!

"I don't know if I'm all right with this... plan, Hermione," Narcissa commented as Hermione explained the next day's events in rapid detail. "It seems a little too easy... And I don't know if I want a horde of Phoenix members hiding in my house. Your Potter caused enough trouble."

Hermione had informed her, and the rest of the remaining Malfoy members, that the Order of the Phoenix would be attacking the Ministry guards the next day, and they would be housed in her manor until they went up against the prison the following morning. While Narcissa was all for helping get her loved ones out of prison, she wasn't sure if she was willing to hold a massive group if people in her darling house. It was large enough, yes, but it was hers, and for some reason, she became a little irritated at the thought people using it as their private hotel.

"No one is going to find out that the Order is here," Hermione promised, her finger sliding over her cane as she sat on the couch next to Annie. "They'll disable the guards quickly, and keep a low key for the rest of the day."

"Why are people coming here?" Annie inquired, a slightly frustrated scowl on her face, "Don't we have enough stupid people at our house?"

"These aren't bad people though," Kevin explained, rolling his eyes as he picked at a loose thread on his shirt. "They're supposedly going to help us."

"They _are_ going to help us," Hermione corrected, shooting him a disapproving look. "Annie, the people that are coming will help us get rid of the bad men outside."

"Oh... " Annie muttered, trailing off, "Why?"

"Because we're being held inside by bad people, Annie," Eloise droned, a similar expression as her brother on her face. "How does that not make sense?"

"Eloise," Narcissa murmured, subtly shaking her head at the older girl when her irritated gaze flickered over. "Enough."

"What? I wasn't-"

"I know you're tired, and irritable, but don't take it out on your sister," Narcissa scolded lightly, her own voice sounding just as weary as her granddaughter's.

Hermione bit her lip for a moment, then let out a sigh, "Look... The Order is full of good people who will look after you once they are here... Grudges need to be dropped... It's the only way we're going to survive. You know that once your husband is killed Voldemort will have no use for you anymore?"

Narcissa closed her eyes briefly, almost hating to hear the name of the Dark Lord. He had ruined everything for them; what more could he possibly take from her? Her eyes slowly opened and she looked at her three grandchildren, vowing silently to never let _Him_ have them.

"Fine... Fine, let the Order stay here," Narcissa sighed, giving in at last. "It's the only way."

"It won't be a mistake, I promise," Hermione beamed, pushing herself up unsteadily, leaning on her cane. "Come along, Miss Annie... I think it's time for you to get to bed."

"Can't I stay up a little longer? I'm not tired..."

Narcissa smiled to herself as she heard Annie make excuses all the way out of the sitting room, and couldn't help but pity Hermione; the woman shouldn't have offered to take the little girl to bed. Eloise let out a sigh from her chair, then stood up, "Want to watch a movie, Kev?"

"Sure... why not."

"Want to join us, Grandmother?" Eloise inquired as Kevin rose and left the room silently.

Narcissa smiled, but shook her head, "You go along, dear... I've never really understood Muggle films, and I don't know if I want to now."

"Okay..."

She leaned back into her couch, watching as her granddaughter followed her brother's path out. Narcissa almost wished she could bond with them a little more, but due to the current circumstances, it didn't really seem like the children were interested in family bonding time. It had nearly been three days since Draco and her husband had been arrested, yet she was sure to their minds it had been years. Annie was growing more and more distraught that her father wasn't there every morning, and Kevin seemed to slowly become more withdrawn as the days passed.

Eloise was a little more difficult to decipher. While there were occasions in which Narcissa thought the girl was finally happy again, the slightest thing would happen and she would lock herself in her room, crying away whatever sorrows plagued her.

"Narcissa?"

She looked back to the door and her eyes fell upon Hermione. The woman's tone seemed a little softer this time. Smiling weakly, Narcissa beckoned her in; she hadn't expected her to return.

"I have been wanting to tell you something, but I've never really had the time," Hermione explained as she took a seat on the couch beside Narcissa, running a hand through her bushy hair. "I... I saw Lucius the other day."

"Oh..." Narcissa sighed, pondering why the younger woman wanted to flaunt that fact; Narcissa missed her husband. "How is he?"

"Free," Hermione breathed, her eyes suddenly dancing as Narcissa's head whipped at attention. "He and his cell mate escaped!"

Narcissa clasped her at her necklace, and while she wished it hadn't, her jaw actually dropped, "Escaped? Then why isn't he here with us? Is he-"

"He's fine," Hermione explained, her manner soothing. "He overheard me explaining the raid plans, and he offered to stay behind and make sure everyone knows what's going on... He found some of the spare Invisibility cloaks that the guards used to keep for spying on prisoners... I daresay he took them all..."

Oh, her clever, clever Lucius. She knew he'd find a way out, as Narcissa knew he was not a man who enjoyed being caged.

"So... When-"

"If you come along on the raid," Hermione continued slowly. "Then you'll see him in two days... I'm sure he's fine."

"I'll come," Narcissa promised, finally smiling earnestly at her companion. "He... I'm glad he's safe."

* * *

Kevin and I were in the mood for a war epic, and popped in the movie 'Troy' after Aunt Hermione told us everything about the raid, and the fact our house was going to be attacked tomorrow. I didn't really have a problem with it, I mean, whatever keeps us safe, you know?

Hopefully, everything goes according to Hermione's grand plan, and Dad gets freed, but judging by the way things have been going for us over the past few months, I doubt it. First we lose Mum, and now we're going to lose Dad _and_ Shane. If someone wasn't depressed in our situation, they would have to have a heart of pure stone.

"You know... I wouldn't go after Helen," Kevin commented as we watched hundreds of ships race across the Aegean. "I mean, she left him... So why bother?"

"I think he wants to punish her," I commented, shrugging my shoulders. "Everything was about male pride then, I suppose. ... Nothing's really changed."

"What?"

"Nothing... Watch the movie."

I grinned to myself and stretched my legs out, taking up the entire length of the small couch we had recently added in to the Muggle room. The other one broke after Shane bet Kevin he couldn't jump for ten minutes straight... Naturally, the legs gave way after around seven minutes (the couches legs, not Kevin's), and we had to beg Lucius to buy us a new couch. He suggested simply using a repairing spell, but... Well, buying a new couch was more fun.

"Do you think Helen's hott?"

I frowned, then rolled my eyes, "Yeah... She just does it for me."

"Figured."

"Shut up, Kevin," I snapped, hurling a pillow across the coffee table at him, then shooting him a triumphant smirk. It's been a long time since the two of us were alone like this, and I've kind of missed our moments. Sure, when Shane's here it's usually a lot funnier, but I've suddenly started to notice how mature my little brother is getting as time passes. It's almost endearing, really.

I glanced over at him, then grinned to myself, returning my focus to the small television in front of us.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. I glanced up, pondering who would bother to knock, and I was surprised to see a rather down looking Sawyer standing there, her hands clasped in front of her, "Hi, Eloise."

"Oh... Oh, hi, Sawyer," I greeted awkwardly, sitting up and turning the volume down, much to Kevin's discontent. "How did you get in?"

"The guards at your door were really nice, actually," Sawyer laughed, stepping into the room.

I rolled my eyes, muttering, "Yeah, nice to _you_."

"Hi Kevin," Sawyer addressed, smiling at him as he waved her off, his eyes glued to the battle about to commence on the Muggle screen.

I snorted softly, then pushed myself up a little more, leaning on the back of the couch, "So... What can I do for you?"

"Well... I was wondering how Shane was, actually."

I frowned; she hasn't even gone to see him? I'd be in there everyday if I wasn't under bloody house arrest!

Coldly, I replied, "I don't know... Maybe you could go in and see him for yourself."

The air changed between us, and you could almost feel the tension pick up. She cleared her throat, tucking a piece of black hair behind her ear, "I would... I just haven't been able to yet. It's not like you've gone to see him."

"Yes, because that's what people do when they're under house arrest," I snapped, rolling my eyes. "We get our visiting done _now_... You know, see all the people we haven't really kept in touch with over the past few years."

"You didn't need to be sarcastic with me, all right?" Sawyer hissed, her eyes narrowing, "I came here because I care about Shane-"

"If you really cared about him, you'd be visiting him at the prison!"

"Look, it's complicated-"

"I don't see how the bloody Hell that's complicated-"

"Yeah, well you obviously don't see a lot of things locked up in here all day-"

"Shut the fuck up!"

Both of our glares slowly turned toward Kevin, who was still watching as Brad Pitt hacked his way through an army of Trojans on the screen. I was about to say something, but he managed to cut me off, "You're both just pointlessly arguing for the sake of arguing... Just shut up and let it be. Neither of you have seen Shane, so neither of you can say anything."

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. So, defeated, I shot my brother a glare and turned back to Sawyer, "Fine, to answer your question, I don't know how Shane is doing, since I haven't been allowed to leave the house. My Aunt saw him and said he was doing pretty well, so I assume he's fine."

"That's all I wanted," Sawyer declared, turning away and stalking out of the room.

I snorted, "Bye then!"

God, I don't know what got shoved up her arse today, but we've never really experienced fighting with each other. Brushing off the incident, I returned my focus back to the television, completely lost as the where I was in the movie. Not that it really mattered; all I needed to do was watch hott men in skirts beat at each other with metal swords... Makes up for a lot.

"So, she was a bitch today," Kevin snickered suddenly, looking across to me. "Do you think she came here because she wanted to, or because she thought she had to."

"A little bit of both, I think," I admitted, barely gazing away from the television. "She seems a little worried... I don't know though."

"Yeah."

We continued to watch the movie quietly for another twenty minutes or so, engrossed in the constant head chopping and screaming that went on between the characters. Suddenly, Kevin asked, "What do you think about the riot?"

"I think it'll work," I replied, finally tearing myself away from the screen to stare back at him. "I mean... Aunt Hermione seems to know what she's doing. I think there will be a few problems, but it'll work in the end."

I paused for a moment, picking at my nails, then sighed, "But I know we're going to have to stay here... There's no way Grandmother will let us go... We'll have to watch Annie."

Kevin groaned loudly, and his eyes narrowed, "I'm not staying here..."

"Well, neither am I!"

We looked up at each other suddenly, sharing a brain wave. Neither of us were going to be left behind.

* * *

Hermione had hardly slept the night before, and roused herself early the next morning. The Order was going to be attacking today, and there was no sense in being completely asleep when they did it. Throwing on her ratty old housecoat, she sauntered over to the window (able to walk a little awkwardly without her cane at last), a hand covering her mouth as she yawned.

All the guards were currently huddled around a small fire, sipping contently on something. She couldn't quite see what it was, as she was too far away, but there was a sickening feeling in her stomach that it was alcohol. It wouldn't be the first time those guards were drunk out of their minds.

Thankfully the Ministry officials had taken down the protections spells around the manor upon their first arrival. If they were still up, there would have been no way for any of the Order to get in undetected. Alarms would be triggered, people would be stunned, and Voldemort would probably be alerted of Order presence, and it would ruin everything. This attack had to go right, or hope was gone.

Suddenly, she noticed something. A small figure darted out from one of the trees, then dashed behind another. She had caught a hint of red hair, and smiled knowing it was one of the Weasleys. A giddy feeling started to grow in her stomach, and she grinned as three spells came flying out of nowhere, stunning three of the guards instantly. The other four rose to their feet, spilling their drinks everywhere, and stunned before they could do any real damage. The whole ordeal was rather loud, and Hermione was sure most of the people in the house had woken up.

After briefly trying to flatten her hair, she gave up and made a mad dash toward the door, then flung herself down the stairs.

"Are they here?"

She looked back, groaning internally as Kevin hurried down the stairs after her, clad in a pair of boxers and a t-shirt. Nodding, she stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder, "Yes, they're here... Stay inside... The guards may recover faster than anyone expects."

Turning away, Hermione started toward the front door, but noticed Kevin was still following her. She frowned, then stopped, "Kevin, what did I just say?"

"Yeah, well, you need someone to keep you safe, don't you?" he snapped, poking her side with his wand as he stepped around her and opened the front door, "I won't cause any trouble."

"Fine," Hermione sighed, knowing there was no point in trying to change his mind. Before she could reach the door, another person called for her attention. "Was that the Order, Hermione?"

"Yes," she replied, staring back up the stairs at Narcissa, "would you mind asking the house elves to start making something to eat? I'm sure everyone will be starving."

Narcissa wrinkled her nose, but only for a moment, then stiffly replied, "All right."

The woman still wasn't keen on having the Order stay in her house, but Hermione could honestly care less at the moment. They were here, and no one knew (as far as she was aware), which meant things were going fine according to plan.

She strode across the large property quickly, Kevin at her heels, then broke off into a run when she spotted Tonks.

"Tonks!" she cried, rushing over to hug the pink-haired woman tightly, "That was brilliant... I knew you lot hadn't gotten any less efficient since I've been gone!"

"Of course," Tonks laughed, patting Hermione's back. "We're still number one, love, and don't you forget it."

They broke away, smiling at each other, and Tonks' eyes drifted over to Kevin. Hermione chuckled slightly, as she had almost forgotten he was there, "This is Kevin Malfoy... Draco's son."

"Wotcher, Kevin," Tonks greeted.

Kevin seemed a little hesitant, but finally stepped out of his shell and stuck his head out, "Nice to meet you."

They briefly exchanged a handshake, and Hermione smiled, "So, where is everyone else?"

"That _is_ everyone else," Tonks sighed, nodding to the small group of people that were currently binding up the guards.

Disappointed, Hermione's eyes traveled over the group, and they suddenly widened upon spotting someone she honestly hadn't seen in a long time, "Hagrid!"

The half-giant's head snapped up upon hearing his name, and he smiled brilliantly at her, waving rather enthusiastically, knocking off Charlie Weasley's hat in the process.

"Well, come on then."

The three hurried over to the rest of the Order, and Hermione exchanged vigorous rounds of hugs and handshakes with all the familiar people. Almost all of the Weasley family was present, minus the twins, Ginny, Arthur and Percy. She was most pleased to come into contact with Molly again, and while the portly woman was a little less bubbly then she had been during Hermione's childhood, she was still one of the warmest people she knew.

Along with the Weasleys, including Fleur with her scarred husband Bill, there were around eight other people. Remus and Tonks Lupin, Rubeus Hagrid, Hestia Jones, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Neville Longbottom, Dedalus Diggle, and Luna. Hermione felt a little awkward returning the affectionate hug the blonde woman had given her, but it seemed to make Ron happy that they were still friends.

No one had really changed since she last say them. They were all a little older, obviously, and it seemed as though time away from the war had done them well. Their eyes were bright, their skin seemed healthy, and no one looked as if they had gone more than a day without eating a proper meal. The only real dissatisfaction was that there were only fourteen people.

"I'm glad you all came," she thanked, beaming at each and every one of them, "but... Is this it?"

"We have a few of the young ones at different places," Lupin explained, grinning at her. "We didn't want to completely take over the Malfoy Manor... I'm sure there isn't room for everyone."

It made Hermione pleased to know that there would be more people helping them on the actual day of the riot, but she was a little uneasy at not knowing how many 'a few of the young ones' was.

"Oh, and this is Kevin Malfoy," Hermione said over the small conversations, noting a few of them were looking at Kevin with curiosity, "Draco's son... Kevin, this... Right, this could take a few minutes."

She took him around and introduced him personally to each and every person, telling him their full name, and what their job was. She had a feeling he wouldn't actually remember a lot of it, but he took it in good spirit. At the end, he was left standing with Bill and Fleur, no doubt thinking they were the coolest married couple ever. Bill always had a way to bond with teenagers, and Fleur... Well Fleur had her uses.

They decided to lock the guards in the broom shed at the farthest end of the property, which was Kevin's suggestion. Hermione, Lupin, Molly and Tonks all performed several powerful locking spells on every inch of the cupboard, and Hagrid placed a few dead logs in front of the door just to be sure.

Hermione finally got everyone's attention, then led them back into the house, in which they were met by a sea of house elves, each one going to a person and taking their cloaks to hang up somewhere. The smell of breakfast was tantalizing, but conversations of praise fell silent as Narcissa stepped out of the dining hall, a disapproving, yet slightly nervous, look in her eye.

"I'm sure you all know Narcissa Malfoy," Hermione stated, trying to break the awkwardness of the situation. "She was kind enough to give us her home for today and tomorrow while we work everything out."

There was still silence, until Remus finally stepped forward, a smile on his lips, "Hello Narcissa... It's a pleasure to see you again."

Apparently the pair had gone to school together, and Hermione remembered Remus mentioning he had to tutor Narcissa in Charms one year, his sixth, and she was a decent woman, but given a bad reputation because of her last name.

"Hello, Remus," Narcissa greeted, her tone a little airier than usual, "I know none of you really... like me, or know me, but if you need anything while you're here, do not hesitate to ask."

The air was finally broken, and Kevin stepped forward after Remus, resuming his chat with Bill about the recent Quidditch matches he had heard about. Finally people started trickling in, and Molly made the first move to speak to Narcissa, commenting on how lovely her home was, and making idle conversation. Everyone found a seat around the table, and Hermione had to enlarge one of the chairs to properly fit Hagrid, but she managed to do it without making a huge deal of his size.

Breakfast was delivered promptly, and Hermione guessed Narcissa was trying to make a good impression on the Order. Perhaps she realized she actually needed them to ensure her son's safety in the end. Hermione made sure she was seated close to Molly and Narcissa just incase things frosted over, but she needed bother. Fleur was also there, and seemed to take a liking to the lovely Malfoy woman rather quickly.

Conversations slowed down as Annie stumbled into the dining hall, still clad in a set of frog pajamas, her eyes slowly widening at the amount of people sitting at her breakfast table. There was a load of coos, and people commented on how adorable she was as she scooted awkwardly around the table, then over to Narcissa. Her Grandmother smiled lovingly, and much to Hermione's shock, she hoisted Annie up onto her lap, whispering something in her ear.

"This is Annie," Narcissa introduced after a moment. "She's Draco's youngest... Annie, these are the people we talked about last night."

"Oh," Annie muttered, smiling at the group. "Hi."

Kevin rolled his eyes, and the small chats started up again. However, they were soon interrupted as the final member of the family joined them for breakfast. Eloise looked like a bit of a mess, her hair in large knots and clad in a baggy shirt and pants. She froze in mid-step, uttered a squeak of shock, then tore out of the room, most likely to get dressed and tame her hair.

"And that was my sister Eloise," Kevin stated, holding back a laugh. "She... She looks like Hell first thing in the morning."

"Kevin!"

"Did you not just _see_ her?"

"Well... all right."

Hermione exchanged a look with Ron, and they both grinned at each other. However, Hermione suddenly felt her cheeks darken, and she quickly looked down at her plate, shoveling a few forkfuls of scrambled eggs in her mouth. It wasn't as though she still loved him... It couldn't have been. No. No, it wasn't.

"So I'm rather curious how you intend on storming Azkaban with... twenty people," Narcissa commented as Annie nibbled on a piece of fruit on her lap during a short period of silence.

Hestia frowned, pushing a piece of blonde hair behind her ear, "Twenty? There are only fourteen people here... Who else did you have in mind?"

"Well, myself, Hermione, your other sons," Narcissa continued, counting off the people on her hand, "and the Snapes, of course."

A few people froze, and Charlie repeated coldly, "The Snapes?"

"Your sister and her husband, yes," Narcissa replied, almost enjoying the way some of the people seemed sick at the idea. Hermione cringed as a few people objected to the idea of Snape helping out. Some called it ridiculous, and branded him a traitor to the Order.

"That event was over twenty years ago," Molly said sharply, her voice cracking like a whip across the entire room. "Now, Fred and George tell me he has been taking good care of Ginny, so that means you can and _will_ work with him if he offers it."

Remus spoke over the proclamations of disgust, "She's not saying you need to be best friends with him... But as you all remember, Snape's a good fighter, and an overly capable wizard when it comes to the Dark Arts. Things that happened in the past need to stay there so we can get on into the future."

"I second that," Hermione agreed loudly. "Severus Snape can be trusted again... If you keep grudges with you, you're never going to move on."

Some of the arguing died down, but Hermione knew it would still take some more convincing for the Order members to completely be all right fighting alongside Snape. Many of them still worried about his allegiances, and someone even brought up the issue of him running the Voldemort about the attack.

Narcissa assured everyone that both she and Ginny knew how to keep Snape quiet, and they needn't worry about having any sort of trouble from him.

Once that had been settled, Remus cleared his throat loudly, getting everyone's attention again, "Now, I know we've drilled the plan into our heads hundreds of times... But for everyone's sake, let's go over it one more time..."


	44. Free Jail Birds Fly

Ginny had never been happier to see her family. Everyone was there at the Malfoy Manor that morning, minus her brother Percy and her father, and she was quite sure a smile had never left her lips.

Her mother's face when she saw Ginny for the first time was a memory that was bound to last forever. She burst out into tears, as did Ginny, and they shared one of the longest hugs they ever had. Her brothers were also overjoyed to see her alive and well, and once Ginny saw how grown up they had become, she instantly forgot any sort of childhood predicaments they had gone through, and wished to focus on the future with her family.

However, the future of her family life was threatened by the growing divide that was slowly happening between her blood relatives and her husband.

"Honestly, Ginny, how can you continue to stay married to him?" her mother hissed, shooting Snape a quick glare, "It's not natural to be forced into these things! He-"

"If you have something to say to me, Molly, you can say it to my face," Severus chuckled as he stood behind Ginny, a good distance from her angry mother and lethal looking older brothers. "I'm standing right here... There's no need for rudeness."

"Severus... We... While the rest of the Order members have put aside their grudges with you," Molly snarled, her eyes narrowed and her hands placed firmly on her hips. "This is something personal to me, and I won't sweep it aside like everyone else has."

"Mum!"

"Ginny!"

Fred and George had tried to get a word in every so often, as they knew Ginny was happily married to Severus Snape, but Bill and Charlie had managed to shut them up each time, leaving Ginny alone to defend her marriage to her mother.

"I would have thought you'd be married to a sensible man," her mother continued, her tone harsh and cold, "a man closer to your age, and hopefully ready to have children!"

Ginny felt her husband shift awkwardly behind her, and while she wanted to agree with her mother, she knew she couldn't, "Mum, I'm perfectly happy like this... We have a good life... Severus and I-"

"Severus?" she snapped, her nostrils flaring, "I'm surprised you're allowed to call him that! I see the 'professor' title has dropped since we last saw him!"

"She is my wife, Molly," Severus droned stiffly. "I think a first name basis is called for, don't you?"

"I... I... Of course," her mother snapped, starting to get flustered with his cool demeanor, no doubt, "but she's almost half your age... I'm sure _that_-"

"Bothered me for quite some time," Severus stated, cutting her off, "and Ginny was aware that I wasn't comfortable with her being my wife, as she was my student for almost five years. However, we've moved past that now... We've been married for almost fifteen years, and as you can see, she's in a better condition than she would have been if she had continued working for the Order. Patrolling was clearly not a suitable task for her... It wasn't safe. I kept her safe, and I promise to continue keeping her safe until our dying days."

Ginny stared back at him, a loving grin on her face, and she stepped back, grasping his hand and holding it in front of her mother, "Mum... I love him. Don't you want me to be happy?"

Her mother opened and closed her mouth a few times, soundlessly muttering something to herself. Bill cleared his throat, "Look, it's a little late to try and break them up now, Mum. They've been married for a long time, and atleast Gin looks happy."

"I _am_ happy," she stressed, shooting her mother a pleading look. "You have to understand that... I don't want you fighting with him anymore!"

"More like attacking than fighting," Severus muttered under his breath, causing her to pinch him. He shot her a smirk, and she tried to ignore it as her mother thought it over. She wasn't an easy woman to please, and Ginny knew this debate wouldn't be finished today. Nor would it be simply tossed aside. Severus would really need to prove himself in order to win Molly Weasley's affection.

"He seems a little better now, you've got to admit," Charlie commented suddenly, slapping a hand down on Snape's shoulder. "He's also filthy rich... He can give Ginny anything she asks for."

"And I generally do," Severus added, peeling her brother's hand off his shoulder. "Ginny can account for that."

"I still don't like it," her mother sighed, glaring up at Snape moodily, "but, today is not the day to be discussing it... We all have jobs to do. Snape... If she has one single _hair_ missing, you'll be answering to me."

"Mum!"

"I'm sure I will be, Molly," Severus laughed dryly, wrapping his arm smoothly around her hips. "Trust me... I won't let anything happen to her."

All the Order members had been a little edgy that morning. Soon, they were going to be leaving for Azkaban, and the first attack of many would begin. There weren't as many people as Ginny had hoped to see, but there also weren't many guards at the prison.

At first, most of the members seemed as though they wanted to strangle Severus. Hagrid was particularly hostile, and Tonks had to sit with him and calm the half-giant down for a little while. Remus really stepped up, along with Ron, and ordered everyone to accept him, as he was a good fighter, and they needed all the help they could get. After, as plans and strategies for different pairs and trios of people were explained, more and more people started interacting with Severus, asking his opinion on a certain tactic. While he seemed a little annoyed to be helping them, he did all the same.

Narcissa had slipped in well amongst the Order. She and Fleur seemed to get along quite well, and Ginny knew it was because both women were beautiful, and probably shared similar ideas on the way of the world. Ginny still loathed her sister-in-law, but now that she was older, she couldn't be forced to interact with the woman.

The Malfoy children also integrated well into the Order. Kevin had developed quite a fondness for her brother Bill, and there were numerous times in which Ginny watched her brother's chest swell with pride as he explained all his dangerous jobs with the bank to the awestruck teen. Eloise and Tonks had gotten along rather well, and Annie seemed to be loved by everyone. She managed to spend a lot of her time with Hagrid, giggling profusely whenever he made a silly mistake, which unfortunately happened quite a bit.

"I still don't like it..." her mother sighed, trailing off as her eyes swept over both Ginny and her husband, "and I'm sure Arthur would have had a word or two to put in-"

"Mum-"

"But seeing as he's not here," Molly continued, her voice cracking slightly. "The choice will be on me... I'll deal with it later."

"I hate to break this up," Remus insisted as he poked his head into the room, "but it's time."

"Right... Let's get this over with," Charlie boomed, a sudden grin on his face, "I've always wanted to do something with Azkaban... Other than be arrested and thrown in... You think we'll get in?"

"Of course we will," Bill snorted, rolling his eyes at his brother as they exited to room shortly after Remus, their conversation echoing loudly down the halls. Molly took one last look at Ginny and Severus, and then marched out after her sons silently.

Ginny let out a sigh, "Well... That could have been worse."

"Could have been worse?" Severus repeated icily, letting out a snort, "How could that have been worse?"

"You could be in pieces scattered around the room," she giggled, turning around to face him, her hands sliding up his chest. "My brothers were a lot calmer than I expected."

"The twins had a quick chat with me before," he explained, slightly annoyed. "They offered to take care of the funeral arrangements."

Ginny chuckled softly and stood up on her tiptoes, giving him a quick kiss, "Look after yourself today."

"I'll be looking after _you_ today," he countered, his arms wrapping around her waist. "Making sure you don't die... Your mother scares me more than ever now."

"Oh... Don't be scared of her," Ginny mused, smiling up at him. "She wants everyone to be scared of her... All the men in our family are frightened half to death of her... Don't be a coward like them."

"One can try, dearest... One can try."

* * *

Lucius tapped his foot impatiently on the cement ground of the prison floor. Today was the day, and the riot should commence any moment now. The prisoners had caught on to his training quicker than he had expected, and while many were reluctant to listen to him, in the end they all figured he was telling them what to do for their benefit, and managed to grasp what he ordered.

Lucius had sent a quick letter off to Narcissa with the details of his plan, and informed her _not_ to write back, or everything would be lost. Meanwhile, Lucius explained to each and every cell that once the riot starts, they cannot crumble into mad chaos. They needed to act like adults to survive each other, not just the guards.

So, it was decided that one third of the prisoners were to deal with the guards, another one third was to search for alternative routes, and the rest were to help the younger prisoners out of their cells.

Once that had gone according to plan, every single prisoner was to meet in the outdoor atrium so they could be accounted for, then sent home. Naturally, Lucius was sure someone from the Order was going to make some sweeping speech to try and get more prisoners to help with the attack on Hogwarts, and while there was definitely going to be some people interested, a lot would want to get home to their families before anything else happened. He wasn't too sure what was going to happen once the Order had freed everyone, but that wasn't really his concern.

He glanced down at his watch from beneath the invisibility cloak. Arthur was sure to be in place downstairs, making sure the teenagers knew what the bloody Hell was going to happen. Hermione had explained the plan to them, but when Arthur and Lucius checked, no one had any idea what was going on. While Arthur had the patience, and no doubt experience, in dealing with numerous amounts of teens, Lucius did not. Nor did he care, really. So, he left his new found comrade to deal with the younger prisoners, and decided to stick with people who could behave like rational adults.

The excitement in the air was evident, and while many were trying to act unexcited, they were all failing miserably.

"Why do you get the kick the snot out of me?" Draco groaned as he and Harry paced on opposite ends of the cell, "It looks more realistic if it was the other way around..."

"Malfoy, you know that's a lie," Seamus sniggered, along with his cell mates. "Besides... They're more likely to help you than Harry..."

"Fine."

Lucius rolled his eyes, then tapped against the metal bars of his son's cell, "Now... Do it."

"What's that Malfoy?" Harry shouted loudly, "Shut your mouth about my mother!"

"Oh, come on Potter... It's not like everyone couldn't see it for themselves," Draco sneered thunderously, the attention of the entire wing tuned into their theatrics. "Everyone knew what she was... She was a bloody whore-"

"Shut up, Malfoy!" Harry bellowed, launching himself at Draco and tackling the blond man to the ground. It was almost pathetic to see his son getting beaten by Harry Potter, but it had all been planned the previous day, which did help the family pride slightly.

The boys grunted and hurled insults at each other as the other men in their cell started cheering them on. Lucius stalked along the rows of cells, snarling for people to start making some real noise if they were actually interested in getting the guards' attention. People instantly began shouting, rooting for one of the men deafeningly. Lucius grinned, and hastily stepped out of the way as a pair of guards came running into the room, their wands out as they searched for the cause of the commotion. He followed them closely, then groaned as one stunned Harry, ending the fight as quickly as it started. They waited for the men to open up the cell, like they had done for Lucius and Arthur when they delivered food. However, that didn't happen. Instead, they told the prisoners to quiet down, or they'd all be brought in one by one and shut up.

Rolling his eyes, Lucius crept up behind them and knocked their heads together roughly, knocking them unconscious sooner than he expected. The prisoners broke off into rounds of cheers, and Lucius was finally free to remove his cloak. He folded it under his arm, stole the guards' wands, then began unlocking cells, barking loudly for people to remember their assigned tasks, and to not get too overexcited.

"Well done, father," Draco praised over the noise as Lucius unlocked his cell. "Not quite according the plan..."

"But it worked, didn't it?" Lucius grumbled, patting his son on the back when he was close enough, "Now... I think we should find Shane."

"First thing on my list."

They started off down the walkway, following the people who were going to tend to those in the east wing. Seamus let out a grunt, lifting Harry's body off the ground, "What about him?"

Lucius tossed the younger man a wand, then nodded over to the guards, "Revive him, and then lock those two up."

"Done."

Lucius' eyes skimmed over the freed prisoners as he moved hastily down the walkway beside Draco. At least they were doing what they had been told to do... and hopefully that would last.

* * *

"So where did everybody go?" Annie asked as we lounged around in the Muggle room.

I let out a sigh, "They... They just went out, okay?"

"But where?" she whined, hitting my leg with her small hand.

I shot her a glare, "Hitting me won't get you anything."

"Well you won't tell me where they went!"

I let out a groan and shot Kevin a look, inviting him to jump in and try to get our little sister to leave me alone whenever he felt so inclined to. We had been warned by Hermione and Grandmother not to tell Annie what was happening that day, as they didn't want the little girl to worry her head off about it. Not that they cared about our feelings, the people who could actually understand what was happening... No, no they worried this would have some traumatic effect on our five year old sister.

"Did they go to the store?"

I picked up my magazine and flipped it open, my eyes skimming this month's latest fashions, "No."

"Did they go out to eat?"

"No."

"Are they going out to buy me something?"

Kevin snorted loudly, and I shot her a look, "No... No one is buying you anything."

"Then what are they doing?"

"Annie, shut up!" Kevin groaned from the computer desk, hitting the mouse several times as his online character blasted through a wall, "They went to go rescue Dad and Shane and Lucius, okay?"

"Kevin!" I snapped, slamming my magazine hastily, "Way to listen to what we were told to do!"

"They're rescuing Daddy?"

"Well you know she'd never shut up," my brother drawled, pausing his game and turning around on his chair. "What's the harm in telling her anyway?"

"I don't know..."

I let out a sigh as Annie quizzed Kevin on the whereabouts of the Order members. They weren't too bad, once you got to know them. Not that we really had a lot of bonding time. The icebreaker definitely had to have been me wandering down to breakfast yesterday looking like crap... Conversation seemed to flow a little easier after that. While I didn't click with everyone, a woman named Nymphadora Lupin, preferably called Tonks on request, seemed nice enough, and when she wasn't with Hermione or Ginny, we chatted about my future, and what I should do after I finish schooling.

The Ministry officials have been locked in our broom shed ever since the Order arrived. Kevin and I went out to go stick things under the door for them... Mainly paper and twigs... Hopefully they'll murder each other with mass amounts of paper cut trauma.

"Hey, Loo?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are we here?"

I glanced up at my brunette brother, then shrugged, "Because we have to be here... I dunno."

"Well... I don't think we should stay here any longer."

I frowned, "What, you want to leave? Go help fight the war? Get real, Kev."

"If you don't want to go, that's fine with me," he said suddenly, standing up and shoving his chair back into its place. "I'm going to go help Shane."

I watched him hurry out of the room, then tore off after him, Annie close behind us, "Kevin! Aunt Hermione will kill you!"

"That's a shame, isn't it?"

"Kevin, don't be stupid! You could get hurt!"

"I'm willing to risk it..."

He shoved on a pair of shoes, then stuffed his wand into his cloak pocket, his eyes flickering up to me, "So are you coming? Or do you want to stay here and watch Annie?"

I glanced down at my little sister, her eyes wide with curiosity, and I made up my mind on the spot, "I'm coming."

"I want to go-"

"No, Annie," I declared, throwing on a small cloak over my black shirt and jeans. "You need to stay here and make sure no one breaks into the house... You, and Bo, and the house elves are in charge now."

"Really?" she giggled, bouncing on her feet with content, "I'm in charge?"

I caught sight of a house elf watching us, and I send her a pleading expression, which she seemed to understand as she nodded her ugly head and vanished back into the dining hall.

Grinning at Annie, I shook my head, "You _and_ the house elves are in charge. You have to defend the house until we get back."

"Okay!"

It was a stupid plan, and I knew we were going to get into so much trouble for it, but in the end I think it'll be worth it. At least we'll be able to say we helped out somehow.

Kevin retrieved a small portkey we had used to go to Azkaban the first time. No one had done a good job of hiding it; it was a glass bear that was sitting on the mantel piece in one of the libraries. We exchanged a look, then both placed our hands on the bear as I whispered the proper incantation, our bodies swirling off into the unknown.

* * *

Draco snuck up behind a guard as the man stunned a running prisoner, then beat him over the head with his fists, sending the Ministry official to the ground. There was this smug feeling that followed as he stole the man's wand. He had stolen several already, but he usually gave them away to other prisoners, the women and the weaker ones; they needed it the most.

His father clutched his newfound wand dangerously, stunning many of the attacking guards with painful hexes the Dark Lord had invented as years passed. The irony of using it on _them_ was almost amusing.

The chaos that Draco and Lucius were met with when they reached the east wing was astounding. It was as if no one had even listened to Arthur and Lucius, and they were just running wildly as guards tried to box them in. White cloaks suddenly appeared at the opposite end, and Draco let out a sigh of relief to see the Order had finally gotten farther into the prison. They had all heard the massive explosion of their arrival almost ten minutes earlier, and Draco wondered when he would start seeing them trickle in.

"Oh for Merlin's sake," his father snarled under his breath, shaking his head as teenagers ran everywhere, despite the Order members' efforts to calm them. "Sonorous!"

His voice boomed out across the wing, and all heads turned back to look at him. Draco heard a pair of footsteps tromping down the hall beside him, and judging by the sounds of the boots, he knew it was another pair of guards. He whipped back and drove his body against them, shocking them both as he knocked them over, snatched a wand, then stunned them.

"As I recall, none of you are morons," Lucius sneered loudly, earning him a few glares from the teenagers. "Saying that, you were all _told_ what to do once you were freed... You will listen to the Order members, and you will file out to the outdoor atrium. Further instruction can be found there... You will not run around like beheaded chickens... Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

There was a loud rupture of grumbles of agreement, and while it still seemed chaotic, atleast people were moving in a general direction toward the exit, filing past Lucius and Draco quickly. Lucius rolled his eyes, "Quietus."

His voice returned to normal, and he joined in the queue of teenagers, muttering something along the lines of making sure the dunderheads didn't get lost on their way out. Draco nodded, but his eyes were still peeling the crowd for his lost son. Finally, after moments of searching, he spotted a familiar face amongst the sea of teenagers.

"Shane!" he called, pushing past two girls to get to his son, "Bloody Hell, where have you been?"

"Waiting to get out of my cell," his son laughed, accepting the slightly awkward one armed hug that Draco gave him. "There was a bit of a traffic back up at the other end... Took a while to get out."

"How are you?" Draco asked quickly, checking him over for any injuries, "No one... did anything to you, did they?"

"Dad... I was with five other guys who were _younger_ than me, and we barely ever saw the guards, except at meal times," his son explained, shooting him a smirk. "I'm fine... Prison was pretty boring."

Draco released a long deserved laugh, and he gave his son a slap on the shoulder, "You did well, mate... You did well."

"Thanks, Dad."

Draco's eyes suddenly caught sight of who the two Order members were, and they widened when he noticed it was Hermione and Ron Weasley. His Hermione stumbled forward, glaring down at her bum leg, and Ron quickly helped her up, smiling down at her affectionately. She grinned back, then hastily looked away, stepping out of his grasp. Well, that certainly helped him understand what had been happening while he was in prison. If that damn Weasley thought he could just saunter back into her life and steal Hermione away... Gods, was he in for a shock.

"Listen, why don't you help your grandfather heard these people to the atrium?" Draco suggested, finally returning his attention to Shane, "They seem like they need direction."

"Sure... See you later."

"Be careful."

"You too."

He moved with such speed that he was afraid he'd end up tripping over his own feet. It was Ron that saw him coming first, and Draco grinned as the redhead's expression turned rather cold. Hermione looked up, and her eyes brightened when they landed on Draco.

"Draco!" she exclaimed, stumbling forward a little, "Gods, I couldn't find you in the other wing, so I thought-"

He wrapped one arm around her waist and dragged her up into a kiss, cutting her off in the middle of her sentence. Gods, she felt so good up against him, and while he wished to close his eyes and simply savor the moment of their reunion, he had to keep them open, shooting Ronald Weasley the haughtiest, self-righteous look he could muster as Hermione let out a low moan, her arms wrapped securely around his neck.

The redhead shot them both a disgusted look, then turned away, departing down the adjoining hall with large strides. Draco finally closed his eyes, backing her up until they both smacked into the bars of a cell. He hoisted her up, breaking the kiss and heatedly running his lips along her soft neck.

"Draco," she breathed weakly, her hand clutching at his hair when he nipped at her skin. "Draco... We... Not here."

"Why not?"

"Because we have other things to do," she said a little more forcefully, tilting his head up to look at her, "I think I need some help walking though... My leg gave out a little while back."

"Not a problem," he chuckled, crouching down and catching her under her knees, bringing her up as she giggled. "Light as a feather, love."

"Ha," she mused, giving him a few quick pecks on the lips, "I doubt that."

"Gods, I missed you," Draco sighed as he carried her down past the cellblocks, adjusting his grip on her slim body every so often. "You still need to eat a bit, I see."

She rolled her eyes, "Draco... I was practically starved for almost a month... It'll take _time_ before I'm a healthy weight again."

"Understandable," he mused, enjoying the way her voice stuck in his head once again. "All the more reason for me to treat you to outrageously expensive meals once this whole ordeal is over."

She let out a laugh, throwing her head back contently, and as they left the east wing prison block, Draco had never been happier.

* * *

"Come on," I hissed, peeking out from some of the bushes of the outdoor atrium. People were already starting to file out of the prison, and there were a few Order members chatting with the groups, asking many of them to keep people calm once they were outside. "Let's move."

Kevin and I stayed low to the ground, ducking past a group of noisy prisoners, then toward the front door. I shot my brother a grin over my shoulder, but suddenly felt my body collide with another.

"How did I know I'd find you lot here?" Bill Weasley snorted, shaking his head, "All right... If you're going to be here, you can't come inside."

"But-"

"Most of the fighting is done anyway," he explained, a small hint of blood dripping down from his temple, as though he had been grazed by a spell. "People are working their way out from all the levels of the prison, and it's just really busy inside. So you two... Stay out."

Kevin grabbed my arm and dragged me away from the door, dejected.

"So much for actually contributing, huh?" he mumbled, plunking himself down on a bench.

I shot him a sympathetic smile, then took a seat next to him, "Hey... There's always the next one, right?"

And from the anger brewing towards Voldemort, I can already tell this isn't going to be the end of it.

* * *

Molly Weasley watched as a group of people filed past her, and Narcissa wrinkled her nose at the disgusting odor of them. While it wasn't everyone, the ones that had been in prison for some time were really starting to smell horrid.

"You'd think they would be allowed shower privileges, or something," Narcissa mumbled, stepping aside as a particularly filthy one tromped by, threatening to hug them both as he thanked them profusely.

Molly rolled her eyes, "This isn't a normal prison, Narcissa... I doubt they have showers."

"They did when Lucius was in here," the blonde woman argued, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, "I wonder why these ones are so ill groomed?"

Molly shot the rich woman another look, then smirked. She had actually proved more effective in combat than Molly had expected. Remus had told the Weasley of Narcissa's intelligence, but she couldn't believe it until she actually witnessed Narcissa take down two guards at the same time. She had a little more respect for Lucius Malfoy's wife from that moment on.

Speaking of Lucius Malfoy...

"Say, isn't that your husband?" Molly mused, pointing down the hall to a taller man stalking moodily amongst a large pack of teenagers, shooting them irritated glares every so often. Narcissa's eyes widened and she tore off through the crowd, never apologizing for the people she pushed out of the way. Lucius glanced up, and a grin spread across his face as he stopped, scooping his trim wife up into a hug when she was close enough. Molly had to look away as they lovingly exchanged greetings, earning them a few disgusted looks from a group of young teens as they passed.

It was always so difficult to see couples expressing their love for one another. Ever since Arthur had died, she had always hated seeing married men and women.

"Molly?"

She glanced back, and nearly jumped as she spotted a rather hairy, bearded man making his way toward her, his voice hoarse and rather soft. Clearing her throat, she shifted her weight from foot to foot, briefly catching Lucius whisper something to his wife, then drag her off in the opposite direction, the blonde woman letting out a giggle.

Molly frowned, "Can I help you?"

She noticed a few tears clinging to his eyelashes, and she held a hand to her mouth, pondering what on Earth could upset the man so much. Noting that they were suddenly alone in the hallway, she moved cautiously toward him, "What's the matter? Are you hurt?"

"Molly," he said gruffly, taking another step toward her. "You have no idea how much I love you... and I've missed you like Hell."

She clutched her wand, then held it up, and with a shaking voice demanded, "Who are you?"

His chin shook, well, his beard shook, and he croaked out, "Mollywobbles..."

Her arm fell to her side, and her jaw dropped, "Arthur... No..."

He brushed some of his hair out of his face, and she instantly recognized the man she fell in love with all those years ago. The same narrow face, although it was covered in slightly graying red hair, and his clear blue eyes that were now glistening with tears...

"Oh!" she cried, throwing her arms around her smelly, hairy husband and letting out a sob, "Arthur!"

He wrapped a comforting pair of arms around her securely, sobbing into her hair as they rocked back and forth in the hallway of the prison, staying like that for what seemed like centuries.


	45. Becoming Yourself

Dean stared at Voldemort's back as the older man gazed out a large window in his office, overlooking most of the Hogwarts ground. Azkaban had been seized by the Order of the Phoenix, all the prisoners had been released, and it was time for an immediate lockdown of all civilians. However, Voldemort seemed a lot calmer than Dean had expected to find him, and it was almost unnerving just standing there in silence. He had Will at his side, but it was still awkward.

He finally cleared his throat, "I don't understand how the guards could have possibly been overthrown by such a small force... My sources say the Order has decreased since we last dealt with them-"

"Since you were last claiming allegiance to them?" Voldemort snorted coldly, silencing Dean, "Don't act haughty, Thomas, not with me."

"I'm sorry, my Lord."

The silence returned menacingly, and Dean shot the younger man at his side a look, urging him to make some sort of comment to get rid of the tension. Will cleared his throat noisily, "My Lord... I hope I don't offend you by asking, but what do you plan on doing about Azkaban?"

Voldemort looked over his shoulder, a slight smirk on his lips, "Come now... What makes you think I plan on doing anything at all?"

Dean frowned; how could he afford not to do something? He had just lost countless numbers of dangerous, and resentful, prisoners to the Order of the Phoenix. Why wasn't he upset?

Perhaps he was just waiting to explode... It wouldn't have been the first time.

"Azkaban no longer held any importance to me," Voldemort explained, finally turning around completely to stare down the two men. "I was planning on having all the prisoners moved elsewhere and destroying the building... It was old, out of date in terms of magical advances, and too small for the amount of men I had placed inside it. Let the Order keep it... There's no value there anymore."

"But... But, my Lord-"

"Let the Order suffer on that bloody island," he growled, cutting Dean off. "I'll have the defenses tripled around the castle, and I want all available men from the first and second wars here... the veterans, not the new recruits. Set them up to monitor the city alleys."

"Yes, sir."

"I'm sure they'll try some foolish attack on the castle," Voldemort mused, rubbing his smooth chin. "Be sure to see that it doesn't succeed."

"Of course, my Lord," Dean muttered, his mind making lists of men and women who had pledged their allegiance to Voldemort years earlier, and who had stayed faithful the whole time. "What of the Malfoys and the Snapes... I was informed Severus Snape was part of the attack."

"No doubt that was his wife's doing," Voldemort droned icily. "No matter... He is a traitor, along with the Malfoys, and should be killed sight..."

He trailed off for a moment, thinking, and he suddenly grinned wickedly, "No, bring them to me... I'd prefer to torture their loved ones in front of them, then lock them away, together of course, in some confined room for years... See who kills who first."

The Dark Lord had always been twisted, though Dean sometimes wondered where his mind was half of the time. Then again, so did everyone.

"I'll see that the men pass the message on," Dean declared, his chest puffing with a sense of pride. "What about the Order members?"

"I'm sure they will be killed in this next pathetic attempt to end my reign," Voldemort sighed, almost as though he was bored of the conversation, and brushed the thought aside with a wave of his hand. "Let them live, for now... Potter, too. I want to complete his execution."

"Understandable, my Lord."

"Wait..." Voldemort murmured, holding a finger up, "All the Malfoys were said to have been at the prison?"

"Yes-"

"Attack their home," Voldemort ordered immediately, "I want it left in ruins... Everything destroyed, understood?"

"Yes, my Lord... Will and I will see to it."

"Excellent. You're dismissed."

The pair bowed at identical moments, then departed hastily from the office, Will following a step or so behind Dean. While he had hoped to be asked to stay behind to protect and fortify Hogwarts, ruining the Malfoy Manor would be just as interesting, and a way to pass the time.

"I'll have the men sent for to invade the manor," Dean stated, listing off this aloud to clear space in his head. "I want you to round up a few of your friends... They should be capable of destroying a household."

"I... Fine."

Dean looked back over his shoulder, then stopped upon seeing the rather depressed expression on the boy's face, "What's the matter with you?"

"I can't stop thinking about her."

"Her?" Dean snapped, "Her who?"

"Eloise."

Rolling his eyes, the darker man let out a loud snort, "Honestly? The Malfoy girl?"

"Hmm."

"Well, what about her?"

"I hate myself for it... Turning in Potter was a huge rush, and it felt great," the teen admitted, shrugging his shoulders, "but I miss seeing her..."

"Oh, grow up," Dean snarled, hating the way he saw himself in Will. "She's probably already over you..."

* * *

Remus watched as his Order members flitted about between groups of prisoners, scribbling down their names, short personal histories, and why they were placed in prison. Most of them were wrongfully locked away, but the ones that were in there for real crimes deserved to be kept under watch at all times.

It was a swift, easy win, though Remus knew it would be. Azkaban was far away from Hogwarts, and most of the centralized wizarding world, which meant that even if Voldemort wished to defend it, he couldn't. By the time the message would have reached him, Azkaban would be lost, and Remus knew Voldemort understood that. He was only getting cleverer.

However, it was nice to have a stronghold that wasn't hidden within someone's home. It would be easier to defend, and thankfully able to hold all of the members, plus the men and women willing to fight in the next battle. His mind darkened at the thought of the next battle; that would truly be a war.

"You need to make this speech now, love," Nymphadora whispered in his ear as she wrapped her arms around him from behind, her head resting on his shoulder. "Everyone's getting tired and restless."

"I know," he murmured, giving her slim arms a reassuring squeeze before stepping past Harry, who was chatting with Ron and Arthur (whom they had all thought to be dead for numerous years; it was a joyful shock when they spotted Molly and her husband walking out of the prison in tears), then muttered the spell to cause his voice to boom over the crowds of people. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I have you attention please."

The conversations continued on for a few moments longer, and Remus was thankful as the Weasley boys moved through the crowds, hissing for people to quiet down. Draco too barked for a few noisy teenagers to 'can it', and they instantly settled down.

"I... I..." Remus stammered, staring out at the large amount of people, "I honestly don't think I'm the right person to be speaking to you about this..."

He glanced down from his pair of piled up benches, then grabbed Harry's shirt sleeve, pulling him up, "Ladies and gentlemen... I'd like you to meet someone worthy of your time and patience... Harry Potter."

He quieted his voice down, and couldn't help but grin at the genuinely shocked expression on Harry's face at the round of applause that burst forth from the crowd. The younger man cleared his throat, and Remus cast the spell to project his voice, "I wasn't really told I had to make this speech... I'm not terribly good with speeches, so you'll have to bear with me."

The dark haired man shifted awkwardly as a silence filled the courtyard, and Remus nudged him up a little more, "Go on, Harry... You're leading this."

Harry nodded, then began, "A lot of you know me. My parents were killed by Voldemort years and years ago... But when he tried to kill me, I survived. Because of that, he and I have a personal hate towards each other that I didn't think anyone else could understand. But as I sat in prison for no less than two weeks, I realized there are people who hate him. You. You are the ones that were torn away from your families, wrongfully accused, and degraded because of the new laws he introduced. My parents were killed mercilessly... Well, when I got here I thought I should start a club, because I'm not the only one.

Seamus Finnigan, a man who I went to school with, had his wife tortured and killed right in front of him on Voldemort's orders. Erin McConnelly saw her children dragged away as Death Eaters invaded her home, killed her husband, then arrested her for conspiracy. She lived in Ireland, people... She had never been out of her county, yet the local Death Eaters ratted out her family on suspicion of treason to the Dark Lord. Have you gotten a look at her?"

Harry pointed across the crowd to an elderly white woman, thin as they come, with tears in her eyes, "She's past her prime, if you don't mind me saying, and would rather sit in front of a fire reading than have a duel with anyone! She wasn't given a fair trial, and she hauled away to Azkaban. James Griffin, a man who shared our cell, was arrested in a sandwich shop because he made a pun about Voldemort... How they found him, and how they arrested him so quickly is alarming. Sure, a lot of people live blissfully happy. Hell, some don't mind having Death Eaters coming into their shops and checking up on the payload, taking a little for themselves every now and again... But what about you?

Your businesses have no doubt suffered as you've been locked away in this hole. Your families went under, and your name plastered all over the papers as they branded you a common criminal, a man or woman that is set to be locked away forever because of some outrageous crime they tack along with you.

Draco Malfoy and his family got sucked into this once I arrived. He has been looking after his children, and my best friend Hermione Granger, for months. They are now called traitors to Voldemort, and I'm sure everyone who attacked the prison today has a death warrant on their heads. You know why they came here? They didn't just come for me... They came for everyone here. The Order of the Phoenix stands for injustice, and we all know it's been happening for too long!"

The crowd burst into vigorous rounds of cheering, and Remus couldn't help but clap along as his wife let out a triumphant yell for Harry. The young man smiled, using his hands to quiet everyone back down again, "Thank you... I know you're cheering because you all know it's true. Please, hold your attention here just a little longer. Your wands, if they haven't been destroyed, will be found, and they are slowly going to be handed back to you. We have two of our members working on group Portkeys to take you home. But before you go, I must inform you of our next move.

We want to attack Hogwarts. I know it's risky, please settle down so you can hear this... We need to be bold to finally take down Voldemort. Victory favours the bold. It's an overused statement, I know, but how do you think he won last time? He went for our key spots; St. Mungos, Hogwarts, and the Ministry. We lost each and every one of them, mainly because we never thought he would try. He moved onto big things, and he won them. We're not stupid, folks. Look at the person standing next to you... They could be the smartest witch or wizard you'll ever meet in your lifetime. Everyone here was once somebody... Now they're a prisoner with a number. You know what mine was? I was named prisoner two thousand six hundred and seventy eight. These numbers started less than a year ago... 2678 people have been before me, and they've all either died, or are still waiting in prison. Am I the only one that sees something wrong with that?

That's why we're asking you... You the ones who have truly felt suffering, to band with us to finally get rid of Voldemort. We don't know what the future has in store... Very few can predict it! I can't tell you who would be in power once we were rid of Voldemort, I just don't know. I can't tell you there isn't a chance for you to die in battle... But there's a chance for it to happen to me too! It's been said that 'Victory cannot be attained without Suffering'. We've suffered enough, haven't we?"

Another roar erupted from the crowd, yet Harry continued over the shouting, "We've seen Hell, and now we want to get rid of it! Fight with us... Each and every one of you has the choice! You may leave today... Return home to your families as criminals and spend the rest of your life hiding... Or, you can join us, and see that Voldemort and his followers never hold this bloody dictatorship over any of us!"  
With his last words, Harry punched the air with his fist, and it was from that that the loudest cheer broke loose from the crowd, and Remus could already tell most of the former inmates were ready to fight. Naturally, they would turn down those who were either not competent enough, or who were too unhealthy to fight. However, at this point they were ready to take anyone who would lend their wand and attack.

Ron finally stepped up, raising the volume of his voice, "I know you have a lot of questions, and they can be answered by any member of the Order. We're all in white cloaks, like the one I'm wearing. For now, let me answer a few general concerns. If you wish to fight, you will be given medical treatment here, at the prison, as it is now the new headquarters. We already are working on transforming the interior to give all of our members, new and old, proper beds and hot meals. This is only temporary. We don't want it to seem like a prison again, but everyone needs to stay together so we can tell everyone the plans, and nothing gets overheard, or misunderstood."

The crowds instantly started to disperse, moving to the very few people in white cloaks to demand things. Remus watched Harry and Ron grin at each other, and he couldn't help but smile. Once the boys had lowered their voices, Ron headed into the crowd, instantly helping a pair of men who were interested in fighting. Remus cleared his throat, "Harry?"

"Yes?"

"Your parents would have been very proud of you today."

Harry scratched the back of his neck, then smiled, "Thanks."

* * *

Will watched as Dean and several other men blasted open the doors to the Malfoy Manor, launching themselves inside quickly. They had just rescued the men locked away in the shed near the rear of the property, and after Dean had screamed at them for being completely useless, they all made their way toward the manor to completely destroy it.

As he entered the once elegant house, he could hear things being smashed, priceless antiques being torn to shreds, and furniture being flipped over. They were told not to steal anything, as Voldemort did not want to be petty criminals. This was just a warning to the Malfoys, something to let them know they couldn't get away with treason. Dean ordered anyone alive in the manor currently to be killed, and while Will had no qualms with slaughtering the house elves, he wasn't sure if he would be able to kill a member of the Malfoys... not the children. They had once been his friends, and Eloise... well, she was more than a friend.

As his new 'friends' hurried around the house, stunning house elves and burning holes into the walls, Will made his way upstairs, stopping once he had reached Eloise's room.

There were pictures scattered along her untouched room, some of her and her brothers, others of her mother. An empty frame sat on her desk, and as he peered into the garbage can, he saw the picture that Kevin had taken unexpectedly of the two of them while they were watching TV on the couch one evening, Eloise spread out on top of Will, her head resting on his chest.

Glancing back to the door, he reached down into the round metal bin and retrieved the picture, folding it up and tucking it away neatly in his pants pocket.

"You got this room, Turny?"

His eyes whipped up to the door, and he quickly nodded, "Yeah... I called it before we got here. I'll be out in a minute."

"Right. There's a huge section of potted plants you're missing out on... The wife must have liked antique vases, too."

"Yeah... Yeah, she did."

"You're missing it!"

"I'm fine here!"

"Okay... I'll catch up with you later, then."

"Fine."

He stared at the door for quite some time, listening to the sound of items being destroyed, and house elves screaming from the lower levels. So this was war? Attacking creatures that were considered to be 'lower' than wizards, and ransacking homes? It was almost crossing the point of pathetic.

He ran his hand along Eloise's desk, then walked across the room to her bed, staring down at it with a hint of longing. He had missed her since he last saw her, and while he wished things could have worked out better, nothing could change the past.

Carefully, he touched her pillow, only to feel something slam into the back of his shins painfully. He let out a cry and whipped around, his eyes quickly spotting Annie standing behind him with one of her brother's Muggle bats, her eyes narrowed, "Get out!"

"Give me that, Annie-"

"You're a bad person!" she shrieked, swinging the wooden weapon at him, barely missing his outstretched hands, "Get out of my house!"

"Annie, shut up," he hissed, hoping no one had heard her loud voice. "Shut up and give me that-"

"No!"

He heard Dean's words repeated in his ears over and over again - Kill anyone found. But as he stood there, staring at Annie, he couldn't. Finally, he lunged forward, ripping the bat free from the little girl and hoisting her up, despite her screaming and kicking, then apparated them both away.

* * *

"I can't believe you two left Annie all on her own," Draco snarled while embracing his two children, both relieved and angry to see them. "What if something happens? Are you two all right? Where-"

"Dad," Eloise groaned, rolling her eyes, "she's fine... She's with the house elves, and you know they actually like looking after her."

"Yeah, so no worries, all right?"

While he was glad three of his children were safe, he couldn't help but feel worry welling over the fact that his baby was sitting at home, alone, while everyone else was at the prison celebrating. Orders had been given out some time ago about what to do, and while many people left to see their family, a lot had promised to return at a later date to help with the fight. The ones that didn't have family anymore simply saw no reason to leave, and were helping with the remodeling of the prison (which hardly took any time at all) once their wands were returned to them. Some had to share wands, but in general things were working out.

"Look, why don't you and I pop back home and get her?" Hermione suggested, running a hand along his arm as she leaned on him, "It'll just take a moment."

"She's in charge of the house," Eloise snorted, shaking her head. "She was pretty proud of herself."

"Be that as it may," Draco grumbled, letting out a sigh, "I don't like her being at home alone... C'mon, Hermione, let's make this quick."

"You two go find your grandparents," Hermione ordered, adding in what Draco had forgotten to say.

He nodded, "Yes... I don't want you drinking anything alcoholic, no matter what comes out of the kitchens, understood?"

"Whatever, dad."

He glared as Eloise pulled her brother off into the crowd, and Hermione let out a giggle, "Saucy little things, aren't they?"

"Yeah... It's like they've forgotten I was close to dying today," Draco grumbled, readjusting his grip on his weak girlfriend. "You doing all right?"

"Fine..." she admitted, shooting her leg a look, "Getting a little better... Be sure to spend some time with your children once we get Annie."

Draco frowned, "What's that supposed to mean?"

She pushed herself away gently, staring up at him, her voice soft despite the clamor around them, "Nothing... It's just... You haven't seen them in a long time, for them, and ... I know you want to dive right into this next battle, but you need to give them some of your time, all right?"

"Of course I'd spend time with them," Draco snapped, watching as she pulled out her wand, then quickly did the same. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Because you aren't used to being a father through these types of situations," she argued, glaring up at him. "Don't snap at me, I'm just saying."

"Fine, let's just go get Annie, all right?"

"Fine."

He suddenly reached out, wrapped an arm around her hips and then dragged her up into a kiss. Hermione let out a squeal, and after a moment or so pushed him away, "Draco!"

"You're hot when you're mad, love," he laughed, feeling his annoyance subside. "C'mon, let's go."

They effortlessly apparated back to his home, but his stomach suddenly knotted when he noticed the front door blasted in. Hermione's jaw dropped, "Oh, Merlin-"

"Annie!" Draco shouted, rushing forward and racing into the house, his eyes widening when he noticed everything had been destroyed. His faithful house elves were all piled up near the front door, each one dead. One stood near the kitchen, sobbing into her hands.

"Where's my daughter?" Draco growled, hurrying forward and picking the house elf up, "Where is she?"

"Blinky doesn't know, Master!" she wailed, tugging at his hands, "Bad people came and did this... Littlest Mistress did as Blinky told and hid in Little Mistress' room, but Blinky can't find her anymore!"

Draco tossed the creature aside and took off toward the staircase as Hermione inched into the house, "Draco, where's Annie?"

"I don't know!" he shouted back, skipping nearly three steps at a time as he hurled himself up, kicking the door open to Eloise's room, "Annie?"

There was no answer, and his heart was pounding painfully in his chest as he opened up the closet, checked under the bed, and in the bathroom, "Annie! Daddy's here, please come out... You're safe now!"

Silence. His breathing started to increase as he hurried from room to room, desperation in his voice as he cried out for his daughter.


	46. Annie, baby

"I can't believe they just left her alone!" Draco roared, pacing across the small room in which he and Harry had recently stopped in inspect within Azkaban, "Merlin's beard... Potter, what makes children so ignorant? She's five years old!"

"I know, Malfoy," Harry droned rolling his eyes as he searched a desk for anything useful. "You've said this already-"

"I mean... Were their heads momentarily disconnected from their bodies?" the blond man continued, his hands in fists, "How could they just leave her with house elves?

"I don't know..."

Draco had returned to Azkaban almost three hours ago, in a right state that his youngest daughter was missing, and his house destroyed. While Harry wanted to be sympathetic and try to help the situation, everyone had bigger things on their mind, and it was now the Malfoys job to sort, not his. However, Draco seemed to think he was some sort of ... girl that was capable of listening to him whine, then give some sort of advice on how to fix the problem.

"And another thing," Draco ranted, leaning back against the wall with his arms folded dejectedly. "No one seems to want to do anything to help me find her, she's out on her own-"

"Malfoy!" Harry groaned, his tone lashing out at his companion, "Just... shut up, all right?"

"What-"

"Look, I get that Annie was five," Harry began, rolling his eyes once more, "and I can see why you're upset with your children... It was stupid to leave her alone... But what if they had all stayed? You'd have _three_ missing children on your hands, not one."

"How is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"I didn't say it would," Harry snapped, shooting Draco a glare. "We've officially broken out into war here, Malfoy, and sometimes things are going to happen that aren't supposed to... You need to buck up, move on, and figure out a way to fix it... "

"Look, don't get all high and mighty on me, Potter-"

"I'm not, Malfoy!" Harry growled, his eyes narrowing as he shoved a desk drawer shut, irritated that once again there was nothing of use to be found, "I'm simply being blunt... More people should do that with you."

"I-"

Someone cleared their throat at the doorway, and both men looked back to see Hermione shaking her head at them, disapproval in her eyes, "Honestly... I leave you two alone for five seconds and you're already screaming at each other."

"We weren't screaming," Harry ground out forcefully, his mind ordering him to keep his temper in check. "Malfoy was just..."

"What, what was I doing, Potter?" Draco snarled, a cold grin on his lips, "Worrying about my lost and kidnapped daughter? Well, I should be locked away for that, shouldn't I?"

"Draco," Hermione sighed, hobbling into the room with her cane clutched in her right hand. "Don't fight back with sarcasm... It'll only make things worse."

Harry couldn't help but notice how extremely exhausted his best friend looked. He understood that the battle took a lot out of everyone, but she was on the verge of falling over, heavy bags laced under her eyes. Her leg seemed worse after she arrived back from the Malfoy Manor, and Harry felt rather annoyed that Malfoy wasn't doing anything to help her move. While it was completely understandable that he wished to inform the rest of his family that Annie was missing, he shouldn't have just left Hermione to topple onto Ron, who unfortunately seemed just a little too eager to catch her.

"I don't see how this situation can get any worse," Draco grumbled, blowing a few strands of hair out of his face, "Annie's gone."

"I know," Hermione crooned, tediously marching across the room and gently touching his arm with her free hand, "but you need to talk to Eloise and Kevin."

"I'm not ready to have any sort of communication with them at the present time," he hissed through gritted teeth, and Harry braced himself as Hermione's eyes clouded over once again with irritation. She always had that look of determination about her before she started arguing with someone; Harry used to find it really annoying during their school years, yet now he simply found it endearing.

"They are still your children, Draco," she stated firmly, leaning toward him on her cane, "and at the moment they are mortified that their sister has been kidnapped, and frightened out of their wits that their father hates them."

Draco snorted, "I don't hate them... I don't particularly like them at the moment-"

"Draco," she asserted, her tone a little stronger, "you need to speak with them."

"I'll do it when I want to-"

"No, you need to find them _now_," she ordered, planting a hand on her hip and resembling Mrs. Weasley, in an odd way, "or they're not going to feel like you care for them at all."

"That's ridiculous."

"That's parenting!"

"And I'm sure you've got a world of experience in that field, Hermione!"

"Do I need to remind who raised those four-"

"Enough!" Harry shouted, his voice echoing within the empty room and filtering into the hallway, "Bloody Hell... And you say Malfoy and _I_ yell, Hermione? Honestly... It's like the two of you just push each other's buttons for fun!"

Hermione inhaled deeply, as though getting ready to rant at him, and Harry noticed her ever-so-wonderful boyfriend's eye twitch with exasperation, so he quickly decided to take charge of the situation, "Look... You two need to compromise. You're both... overly dominant personalities, so it's no wonder you want to tear each other to bits when you disagree... But this isn't the time, or the place, to bicker. You both need to get over yourselves, and just learn to agree on certain areas. So... Work on your own problems on a different day... There're more important things for you to worry about."

And with that, he departed.

* * *

Will stared at the unconscious little girl on his sitting chair. She looked so clean and fresh amongst his dirty apartment. Mind you, she was a Malfoy now, and one could only guess the generally spoilt Annie would overindulge in the Malfoy fortune.

What was he doing? School had yet to finish for him, but he had taken so much time off to comply with the Dark Lord that he feared he would never be able to catch up with the work load if he tried. Not that he had high aspirations for a challenging future or anything; he hadn't the faintest idea what he wished to pursue, but it seemed as though that had already been picked for him. Voldemort had chosen his career long before he had.

On top of everything, he was quite sure Eloise officially hated him. While he knew they weren't going to get married, and it was just some teenage fling, he thought they had some potential to last longer than his other relationships had. She was different... She was special.

He let out a deep sigh, running his hands through his slightly matted hair, then glaring at the floor. How could he let himself slip to this level? He had always thought of Death Eaters as filth, yet now... now he was one of them. He had even been branded.

Annie stirred softly in the chair, yet he paid her no mind, constantly thinking over all the mistakes he had made within the past week or so. It was getting out of control, yet he had no way of bringing himself back to reality. He was swimming through a sea of horror, and there was no one to rescue him. Perhaps this was truly what war was about.

He suddenly caught sight of Annie moving, and he was instantly on his feet, his wand in hand as she glared up at him, "Let me go home, Will!"

"No," he snapped, dancing around the opposite side of his coffee table to ensure she didn't go running for the door, which was locked, but rather finicky. "Annie just... Just sit down, all right?"

He tried to keep his voice gentle, and hope she would realize that he wouldn't hurt her, but she had always been a defiant one.

She stuck her tongue out at him, and quickly dove back over the chair, managing to clamber up and over, then race toward one of the only windows in the entire apartment, her tiny fists instantly pummeling the glass. Will rushed after her, quickly picking her up around the middle and tucking her neatly under his arm, thankful that he soundproofed the apartment before she woke up; as he was sure his neighbours would have been breaking his door down in order to see what all the commotion was about.

She screamed thunderously and shrilly at his side, pounding against whatever she could hit. Will winced as her tiny hand flew dangerously close to a treasured area, and he quickly put her down to avoid ending up on the floor in a fetal position.

"Annie!" he grunted, hoisting her up and holding her squirming body a good arm's length away from himself, "Calm down, all right?"

"Take me HOME!" she shrieked, her legs kicking out for him dangerously. Frowning, he marched her back over the couch, withdrew his wand, and cast a binding spell around the entire piece of furniture, allowing her mobility, but forbidding her to actually leave it.

"Right..." he sighed, rubbing his temples firmly in an attempt to relieve himself of the growing headache, "You... How... What am I going to do with you?"

"Take me home."

"No, I can't do that... I'll be killed on sight," he grumbled, ignoring her further protests. Instead, he stalked across his small, dingy apartment and retrieved a piece of paper, then a pen. While this would probably be a stupid move in the long run, he needed to write to the only person who would listen.

_Dear Eloise,  
I have your sister... _

* * *

Shane dragged open a set of double doors in an office space, hoping to find something more interesting than he and his appointed partner, Ron Weasley, had found in the past several hours. Everyone had been paired off by this... Remus Lupin, with the help of his grandfather (who everyone seemed to think was all of a sudden wonderful, for some reason), and each pair was given a section of the prison the search.

Some had said that they had found hidden cloaks and useful documents, but all the rooms Shane had searched turned out to be fruitless.

He had been informed his younger brother and sister had left Annie alone in the house, and now she was missing. He worried for his baby sister so much, and swore he would kill her kidnapper if so much as a hair was missing from her head. Screw the law; if that filth didn't obey it, why should he? The wizarding world had officially gone into war, anyway... Nothing really mattered.

"So how was prison life treating you?" Ron asked suddenly, running a hand through his orange hair before tapping his wand randomly on some stones, his eyes hopeful for a new discovery.

Shane shrugged wearily, "Kind of boring, really... There weren't any fights... People just sat around and talked."

"I've been in prison once," he mused, smiling to himself. "My time sounds a bit more exciting than yours did."

"You were in prison?" Shane scoffed, eyeing the man humorously, "No offense... But you don't seem like a huge... rule breaker. What were you in for?"

Ron paused, as if to think for a moment, then chuckled again, "Being overly drunk."

"Overly drunk?"

"Yeah, I went out with my mates in Scotland for a drink one night... and they all left me there, and I was too drunk to walk home," Ron sighed, as if recalling a fond memory. "Then as I walked home, the Muggle police picked me up... Made me stay in the jail for a day or so, until my wife came to get me. Bloody Hell... I thought she was going to kill me."

"See any fights?" Shane asked, suddenly wishing he had been in a Muggle prison; at least that would have been more entertaining.

The man nodded, "Too many for the time span I was there for... A few of them I started... Being annoyed when you're hung over definitely puts you in a foul mood."

"Know the feeling," Shane muttered, shaking his head and grinning when Ron shot him an appraising look.

There was a soft knock at the door, and a blonde woman stuck her head in, smiling lovingly at Ron before turning her gaze onto Shane, "There's someone here to see you, Mr. Malfoy."

She had such airiness to her voice, and Shane suddenly felt a little irritated with it. Apparently she was Ron's wife, though for some reason, he didn't seem pleased she had stopped by. It took him a moment or so to register what she had said, "Oh! Right... Thanks."

He quickly made his way out of the room, but froze instantly upon seeing Sawyer standing in the dark hallway, biting her lip anxiously while clutching a handbag with both hands. Her eyes widened, and she almost jumped on him, throwing her arms around his neck and dragging herself in close, "Oh my God, Shane! I was so worried about you! I've been trying to come in for ages, but dad wouldn't let me-"

He could barely let her finish. The urge to snog her senseless was too overwhelming, and he dipped his head down to capture her lips, causing her to squeak in surprise, yet a moment later basically melt into his arms. Gods, he had missed her more than he realized. They hadn't been dating for terribly long, maybe a month or so, but he seriously missed everything about her while being away for only a week. The way she smelled, the way he could almost rest his head on top of hers, and the way she kissed him...

"I probably smell disgusting," Shane murmured when they broke away. "Haven't really had time to clean up... You smell nice though."

"You smell perfect," she whispered, pushing herself up on the tips of her toes to drag him into a kiss once again.

* * *

"I find it _disgusting_ that you found no one at the Malfoy Manor," Voldemort snapped, causing Dean to flinch at his tone. "I was told three of the children were left behind."

"Yes, so was I," Dean replied softly, his hands folded in front of his body weakly, "and we searched everywhere for them... A report came in that the older two had gone to the prison, but we were unsuccessful at finding the smallest daughter."

Dean had finished the raid hours ago, yet had only just completed the task of delegating objects out to the men who had helped to the attacking. Everyone wanted something, and what hadn't been destroyed still had value. Dean gave what he thought was worthless to the men, then kept the valuables to himself.

"Another thing I... noticed," Dean commented after several murderous moments of silence. "Our young Will Turny was nowhere to be found either."

Voldemort's eyes snapped up at him, and he frowned, "He's taken her."

"Are you sure?"

"Don't question me, Thomas!" Voldemort snarled, Dean cowering before him, "He's hiding her somewhere... No doubt to earn him some favour back with that damn girl he likes so much."

"Eloise."

"Yes, her..." Voldemort mused, running a hand over his chin, "Malfoy will do anything to get his daughter back... And Will is bound to do anything to reconcile with his long lost lover... I daresay we can use that to our advantage."

"We can?"

"Hmm..." Voldemort chuckled, nodding his head, "Find the boy... Torture him for disobeying orders. If he refuses to come quietly, kill him... But make sure you get the girl."

"Yes, my Lord."

* * *

"Annie's gone."

"She is," Tonks sighed, rubbing my back soothingly as we sat outside the prison on a lone bench, an odd silence in the air. "It's not completely your fault."

"Great."

Everyone was inside, and the sun had set almost two hours ago. We managed to find a room large enough to hold everyone, though I had a sneaking suspicion that one of the Weasleys magically enlarged it. The feast we held was amazing, considering most of the women cooking had to conjure things out of thin air, a feat difficult to most who had been wandless and imprisoned for lengthy periods of time.

Food tasted great, the company was great... But the entire family was depressed about Annie. Dad wanted to rush off and find her as quickly as he could, but Lucius, along with several others, managed to persuade him to wait. Anything and everything could be a trap now, they told him, and no risks should be taken.

I hardly call rescuing my sister a risk, but what do I know, right?

"We shouldn't have left her."

"The house was in ruins," Tonks stated, looping her arm around my shoulder, "I highly doubt you would have been able to defend yourself... I'm sure she's fine."

"I hope she is," I whimpered, feeling myself on the verge of tears, "I don't want anything to happen!"

I rarely get emotional about my family. Well, I do... But I don't burst out into tears while sitting with people I've only known for a day or so. However, I've already lost mum... and nearly lost dad... All this stress is seriously not doing me any good!

Tonks hushed me softly, the pair of us swaying back and forth on the bench. She had followed me outside when I left the large dining hall, and refused to leave me alone until we sat down somewhere. She could be a little annoying, but in an endearing way, I suppose.

A piercing screech filled the air, and I glanced up, my eyes quickly spotting a tawny owl flapping through the lamp posts, coming in for a direct landing on a trash bin across from us. I shifted awkwardly as it stared directly at me, and Tonks was instantly on her feet, wand out.

"It's just a bird," I stated, rolling my eyes. "What-"

"A simple owl could really be some hex waiting to bite," she insisted, creeping forward slowly and flicking her wand at the bird. I watched with fascination as an orange spell filtered slowly from her wand, then circled around the bird. It instantly turned white, and Tonks released a small sigh of relief, snatching the better as gently as she could from its talon.

She silently read the front, then glanced up at me, "It's for you."

I paused, waiting for her to come forward and give it, yet she stood still, "Can I... have it?"

"Sure," she laughed, shaking her head absently. "Here."

She handed me the letter once she walked back over to the bench, and I frowned; the writing seemed somewhat familiar. Ignoring the little voice, I ripped it open, and the first two lines already shocked me.

_Dear Eloise,  
I have your sister...  
_

_I don't want you to worry about her... She's safe, though slightly annoying me. I won't hurt her, but in order to get her back, I need you to do something for me.  
I need you to show this to your dad. Let him know that if I return Annie, I don't want to be hurt. I took her to keep her from getting killed, and you know that I've done some pretty stupid things lately, and I can't make up for them... But I need to try.  
_

_Just to be clear, I haven't hurt Annie. I can't say where I am, since I'm sure Voldemort's looking for me... I left my post, and I'm sure to get in shite for it.  
_

_If you want her back... Meet me in Hogsemeade tomorrow night... at the place we had lunch a while back, just me and you. I'll have her there, and I'll be disguised as an old woman.  
_

_Will._

Trembling, I turned on my heel and flew inside, searching for my father.


	47. Stepping Up

Will stared around the pub nervously, Annie at his side on a stool and picking at the basket of bread he had ordered to keep her silent. He was dressed as an old woman, just as he had told Eloise in his three letters. Once he had sent the first one, he noticed he seemed rather vague, and sent two more with explicit detail about where to find him, and what time to arrive.

He asked for her father or any other male figure to not accompany her, simply because he was sure they would kill him immediately for kidnapping Annie. The best thing that could happen would be for Eloise to come alone, and he could explain why he had taken Annie to her, simply because she was the one that mattered the most in his mind.

"I want something to drink," Annie snapped, pushing the basket of dry bread away, "and this bread is yucky."

"That's a shame," Will sighed, rolling his eyes, "but we're not ordering anything else."

He didn't have enough pocket change to afford anything else, anyway. The little girl pouted up at him, then settled back in her seat dramatically, her blonde hair slipping down into her face. She resembled her sister so much, and Will couldn't help but sit there and gaze at her lovingly.

Suddenly, he remembered she was _not_ Eloise, and he turned away awkwardly, mentally scolding himself for staring at a five year old girl like that.

Annie was quite calm, considering she was a kidnapped victim within a war. Perhaps it was because she had known Will for so many years that she felt comfortable enough to be around him. He had no intention of hurting her, ever, and wanted to make sure she was kept safe from all the men out there who had the Malfoys number, ready to kill any one of them in a single swoop.

"Can I have bread that doesn't taste like rocks, then?" Annie demanded moodily, suddenly grabbing her fork and using it to pick off wood chips from the old table, "And how come you look like a lady?"

He glanced over at her, and then grumbled, "Shut up, Annie."

For a moment she looked a little shocked. However, she soon recovered and stuck her tongue out at him, sneering, "You shut up."

Childish. Petty. Immature. All those adjective suited most of his conversations with Annie over the past day and a bit. Will was an only child; it was difficult to adjust to having a smaller person around him all the time.

He drummed his fingers lazily on the wood, awaiting the arrival of Eloise with slight apprehension. She would be coming this afternoon, sometime, and he planned on sitting in the pub for almost three hours to wait for her.

As Annie sat there, clearly bored out of her mind, Will stared around the pub. There was oddly quite a few men in there that morning; most of them looked as though they had spent the night, and were suffering from their dismal hangovers. The rest were wide awake, enjoying a steaming cup of coffee and a scone.  
A hand suddenly pressed down on his shoulder, and he jumped, but was forced to remain sitting in the seat. Annie let out a squeal as a man placed a hand over her mouth, and Will instantly realized it was one of the professors at Hogwarts; Mr. D.

"Hello, Turny," Dean Thomas whispered in his ear, his voice laced with a silent threat, "I thought I'd find you here with _this_ one."

"Don't hurt her," Will begged softly, knowing the pair were trying not to draw attention to themselves. "Please, I don't-"

"Shut up, Turny," Dean hissed, the grip on his shoulder tightening. "You got me into quite the mess with our Lord when I told him we hadn't found this brat in the manor-"

Annie squirmed in her seat, and D shot her a rather annoyed look, removing his wand and instantly pressing it to her neck, "Relax, Annie."

How the man had any idea _who_ she was seemed beyond Will's understanding. At the moment, his heart was racing, and his breathing was irregular; they had been found. Everything would be a waste if he was killed, or arrested, and at the moment there was no telling which was worse.

"Look, she's only five," Will insisted softly, his hands shaking as they clutched the ratty shawl he had on around his shoulders, "I just want to give her back, and then you can have me."

"Well, that's not very interesting, is it?" Dean chuckled in his ear, "Seeing you dressed as a woman... a hideous one at that, made my day though."

Will's cheeks flushed as Dean continued, amusement in his tone, "The Dark Lord wishes to capture more of that pesky Order that her father has allied himself with. Now, I take it you are waiting for someone... Perhaps that little girl you fancy so much?"

Will ground his teeth together angrily, but remained silent. He could almost see the sly grin on Dean's face as the man spoke, "Well... We wouldn't want anything completely horrible to happen to her. So this is what you're going to do. You are going to sit here and wait for that little peach, just like you promised her, and we'll be around... If you leave, we'll kill all of you, is that understood?"

Dean shook his shoulder and repeated the question menacingly. With a defeated sigh, Will nodded, "Yes... I understand."

"Good lad," Dean murmured, patting his shoulder. "If you run, I'll kill you on the spot... So sit tight."

"All right," Will growled, his irritation spiking at last, "I'm not going anywhere!"

Dean chuckled once more and departed in a flash, Mr. D following him closely into one of the back rooms. It was at that instant in which Will finally understood why there were so many men in the pub this early in the morning; it was a trap.

He and Annie exchanged worried looks, and she shifted her chair closer to his, her small hand reaching out desperately for his own.

* * *

Draco stared around the room, pondering why his father, Lupin, Arthur Weasley and Snape all needed to be there in order to make this decision. It should be _his_ choice, seeing as it was _his_ daughter.

It would have been nice to have Hermione there to help him, since she was better at reasoning with the older men than Draco was. However, both were still a little steamed about their spat from the previous day, and it had been a rather long day of cold shoulders and one worded replies to questions.

"I know it seems rash, but this character can be taken down easily," Lucius remarked, folding his arms over his chest from his small seat near the wall. "It's just a boy, for Merlin's sake."

"Yes, but you have to note how close this pub is to Hogwarts," Lupin argued, circling the area on a make-shift map they had quickly sketched out.

Snape nodded solemnly, "I wouldn't normally agree... But it seems too close to Voldemort's stronghold. How can we trust the boy? It could be an ambush."

Arthur agreed silently, casting a look at Draco, "I know it's difficult for you... She's your daughter, but you need to start thinking in the big picture now."

Draco shot him a glare, and though he wished to snarl something back, the look his father gave him made him rethink it. He hated the fact that a Weasley was telling him what to do. However, upon thinking that, he felt bad. He had, after all, befriended Ginny Weasley for some years now, and it only made sense that he should get along with the rest of her family.

"It's just... he's had her for two days now," Draco muttered, running a hand wearily through his messy hair. "She's probably scared, and who knows what's happened... I... I can't stand the thought-"

"Pull yourself together, Draco," his father snapped, causing Draco to glare up at him. "You're a Malfoy, and they do _not_ whine... Annie's a Malfoy, too. I highly doubt she's been an easy prisoner."

Draco smirked slightly, but his worry was still running high, and at the moment nothing seemed to soothe him.

"Right, let's just think for a moment," Lupin stated, his aging face looking slightly pale. "He said he'd run if a male went with her... So maybe I could ask my wife if she'd be up to going with Eloise... She'd fight for her life to protect her."

"It could work, but I don't approve of just the pair going alone," Lucius mused, shaking his head. "Your wife has... skills, but these are seasoned Death Eaters that live around Voldemort, and they've been in the game far longer than I have."

"True," Snape agreed, picking up an apple from the small fruit basket on the table near Lucius and taking a thoughtful bite, chewing for a moment. "We need someone they wouldn't suspect going in there, but someone who can handle themselves in a confrontation."

"Nymphadora would do well, considering she can change her appearance," Lupin commented. "She can blend on a thought."

"True, but we need her here," Arthur said finally, dismissing the idea. "I think many of the prisoners have bonded with her, and if we want them to fight, we need her to help get them ready."

"Exactly," Lucius agreed, picking at his nails. "No one is read for a full-out combat yet-"

"This shouldn't be difficult!" Draco shouted suddenly, earning him harsh stares from the other men in the room, "I know I've only gone through one war before, so I'm sorry for the _lack_ of experience... But this is my daughter that's been taken! This is Annie! She's not even six yet, and you're all debating whether or not she's worth the rescue effort!"

"Calm down, Draco," Lupin ordered sternly, yet with a caring tone of voice. "We're not saying we _won't_ rescue her... It's just a complicated situation, that's all."

The blond rolled his eyes and began pacing for several feet, irritated that this was going nowhere, and it was getting closer and closer to the time in which Will had demanded Eloise meet him.

"Well fine, who else could go then?" Draco inquired in a sulky tone, his eyes on the floor, "Weasley's wife?"

Arthur and Lupin exchanged look, and the redhead cleared his throat, "Luna... Luna has... other things to do."

Lucius snorted, "Plus you don't want that _thing_ in charge of two of your daughters, do you?"

"Lucius."

"Oh come now, Weasley... Your son could have done _much_ better."

"That's now up for any of us to decide-"

"Can we stick to the subject, please?" Snape droned, much to Draco's content, "Time is not on our side, I'm afraid, and we've yet to find someone to accompany Eloise this afternoon."

"I'll do it."

Draco's head whipped back and his eyes landed on Ginny's slim figure in the door.

* * *

"Completely out of the question," Snape remarked, shaking his head at his wife. "How long have you been listening in?"

"Long enough to know what's going on," Ginny replied calmly, her hands on her hips, "and long enough to know what's at stake. I'll take Eloise in."

"No, I won't accept that-"

"I wasn't asking your permission, I was stating a fact."

"Well I won't let you-"

"Watch how you speak to my daughter, Snape," Arthur growled from his side, a hidden fury in his tone. "I won't let you control her like that."

Bloody Hell. This was awkward enough now that Arthur was back in the picture, but he wouldn't allow the man to boss him around and change his way of life. He would never control Ginny; it's just that he was generally right when it came to things, and he needed to banter with her for some time until she saw his point of view.

He and Lucius exchanged tiresome looks, and Snape cleared his throat, "I'm not trying to control her... But you must look at how dangerous this situation is for her. I want to keep her safe."

"We're at war, Severus," Ginny snapped, stepping into the room with her hands still firmly planted on her slim hips, "and I think that I can really contribute if you just _let_ me."

He pinched the bridge of his nose, already tired and frustrated from the past few days. He really didn't need this, not now. With a grunt of annoyance, he stalked across the room and pulled her out, barely listening as Draco and Lucius explained to her father that Snape was doing this for her own good.

"Let go of me!" she hissed, ripping her arm fro his grasp, "What's the matter with you? Are you trying to make our marriage look ridiculous in front of my father?"

"I want to talk to you without people constantly putting their input in," he snarled, his eyes narrowing at the defiant redhead. "Ginny, I don't want you going over there and getting hurt, or killed... We can send a prisoner-"

"Eloise doesn't know a prisoner!" Ginny argued forcefully, "She won't feel comfortable going into an enemy territory with someone she's just met... It would only make sense to go with me, or Narcissa."

"Lucius will never allow Narcissa-"

"Then it looks like it's going to be me."

"Please, think clearly-"

"Think of what's best for Eloise and Annie," Ginny pleaded softly, her tone changing to a more persuasive one. "Please... Please, Severus. This is what's good for them."

"Why do you care?"

He suddenly regretted the question when he noticed the pain in her eyes. Her shoulders stiffened suddenly, and he understood. With no children of her own, his wife wanted to protect the ones she knew best, the ones she cared about the most. All doubts had fled from his mind, and he gave her a cold smile, "Do what you will, Ginny."

* * *

The village had always seemed so lively when I went to Hogwarts. Students were everywhere, haggling with shopkeepers and buying sweets from various stores. Even when Voldemort wasn't in complete control, there was still life within the narrow streets. However, as Ginny and I walked briskly down the chilly streets, I couldn't help but shiver. Not from the cold, but from the lack of movement everywhere. There were random couples walking to and from close shops, but other than that everything seemed abandoned.

I sort of wished Aunt Hermione had come with me, but she was still too weak from her leg, and hadn't been seen all day. According to Kevin, she and that Ron Weasley fellow had been locked in her room for some time, which could only mean bad news for Dad.

"Now, what happens if something goes wrong?" Ginny asked softly as we walked toward the pub.

I swallowed thickly, "I grab Annie and run."

"Good."

That had basically been the extent of our conversation that afternoon. She had already managed to avoid several known Death Eaters upon arrival, and I helped her stun a woman watching us from a distance before she announced us to the general public.

Upon entering the pub, I couldn't help but notice there was quite a large number of men inside. Ginny grasped my shoulder, silently telling me to go slowly and not make eye contact with anyone. She had a large hood up to cover her red hair and I was robed in black. Well, we were both stuck in thick, black robes. If we were seen, at least we would look the role of a Death Eater.

My eyes skimmed the room, and they finally landed on Annie sitting next to a rather ugly old woman. Obviously it was Will, but he was wearing a gray wig, the hair quite stark and crackly. Along with that, he was clothed in a olive green dress, with a gray shawl wrapped around his broad shoulders. He was such an attractive male, but a hideous female.

Annie's eyes brightened upon seeing me, and I pulled away from Ginny, rushing across the pub to my baby sister and sweeping her into my arms. She smelled dirty, though only slightly, and was nearly chocking the life out of my as she wrapped her arms around my neck.

I heard Ginny marching across the room toward me, silently cursing my quickness under her breath, but never saying anything directly out loud.

"Eloise," Will whispered, "I'm so sorry-"

"Don't talk to me, Will," I sneered coldly, gripping my sister. "I can't believe what you've done... I don't ever want to hear from you again."

Ginny suddenly let out a squeal, and I turned back, my jaw dropping as a man wrapped his arm around her and placed his free hand over her mouth, another snatching her wand before she could do anything. I reached for mine, but it was already gone.

"What-"

"I'm so happy you don't want to see our dear Will Turny anymore, Ms. Malfoy," the man holding Ginny chuckled as four men separated me from my sister and bound my arms, "because I don't think you'll be seeing anyone for a long time."

He removed a hand from Ginny's mouth, then tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, "Hello, Gin."

"Dean," she snarled harshly, "if you don't let me go, I swear-"

"You'll do what?" he asked softly, "Call the big bad husband on me? I think not."

Annie let out a wail as a man hoisted her up, holding her up her stomach so she was forced to just hang there, her limbs flailing about. Ginny shook her head, then spat in disgust, "She's just a child, they both are! Have you all sunken so low that you are in the business of kidnapping women and children?"

Normally I would resent being called a child, but this definitely didn't seem like the time or place to argue with her.

"Don't play that game, Ginny," Dean whispered, nodding to several of his men, "the Dark Lord would find it ridiculous... In fact, you can tell him that when you see him..."

Ginny released a defiant cry and shook against him, a struggle breaking out as a few men began to drag me and Annie toward the door, another pair hauling Will to his feet and yanking him along after us.

Several glasses shattered noisily behind me, and when I looked back, the last thing I saw was Ginny and this Dean character having some sort of a Muggle wrestling match. She appeared to be trying to retrieve her wand while hissing a stream of curses at him. However, shortly after it began, he had pushed her over and pinned her against a table, breathing heavily in a rather twisted form of delight.


	48. Oh, darling, you lie

"Why is it that our paths continuously cross, Ginevra?"

Ginny glared up at Voldemort as he paced in front of her, his eyes rarely leaving hers. They had been dragged back to Hogwarts, and once inside the castle, Ginny was separated from the children and hauled up to Voldemort's office. Dean had wonderfully taken it upon himself to be her personal guard, and had barely left her side since she was arrested.

Now, standing with hands bound in Dumbledore's old office, she almost felt a little teary with the memories. However, as soon as she saw Voldemort stretched out on his plush office chair, a rather triumphant grin on his face, she sobered up quickly, her hate rising once again.

"I believe we're just destined to be together," Ginny droned sarcastically, holding her up to him defiantly, "or you just have a fascination with me... It started when I was eleven, I'm sure-"

"Shut up!" Dean hissed, shoving his wand painfully into her back, "It was a rhetorical question!"

Ginny rolled her eyes, and Voldemort let out a dry laugh, "Oh, she knows that... She's been married to Snape all these years... I'm surprised she doesn't reek of sarcasm."

"I shower four times a day."

"How witty, Madame Snape."

"I do what I can."

His eyes narrowed, and she could tell he was no longer as amused with her as he had first been when she was dragged in. The tension had suddenly built up, and she knew Voldemort hated it when people challenged his wit.

"I find it interesting that you rejoined the Order," he drawled lazily, returning to his desk to lean on it. "Though completely predictable."

She remained silent, knowing he wanted to spar with her again. If she should start, he would try and verbally shake her until she could no longer fight back. But there was no way in Hell Ginny could ever give him that satisfaction.

He no longer frightened her. Yes, there was an element of fear that came along with his name, but he was now just a man... one that was slightly more powerful, and ugly looking, than she was used to. She could never understand why he was never quite as scary to her as he was to everyone else. Perhaps it was because she had outlasted Tom Riddle as a young girl... Maybe she felt connect with him somehow.

Ha. Like that was the reason.

"I almost see it as a betrayal..." he continued, his tone rather flat now, and his eyes missing that twinkle of humour, "Considering I was the one who matched you up with the man you love..."

Her cheeks flushed involuntarily, and she heard Dean shift behind her. The way he spat out the word _love_ was alarming, yet unsurprising. Clearly the man had never been in love.

"And what of your life now?" he mused, knotting his fingers together in front of him as he stared down at her, "You have roped Snape into joining the Order, once again, freed all my prisoners from Azkaban... and now you all think you'll come raid Hogwarts in a valiant attack that will be talked about in history books for centuries?" He snorted, "I think not, girl."

Damn. She wasn't too sure why no one thought Voldemort wouldn't catch onto their plan, but hopefully someone had another idea. If they couldn't bring down the man, everything they had done over the past week would have been a waste, and more people would be in danger than ever.

"Now, we plan on sending a letter to a certain Mr. Malfoy," Voldemort explained, holding up a piece of parchment, "but we thought we should include a little something for your husband... Give us a nice, dramatic scream, Madame Snape... I'm sure he'll love it."

"You're disgusting-"

Ginny suddenly let out a sharp cry when Dean dug his wand painfully into her back, twisting it to add some sort of effect. Voldemort cocked a nearly invisible eyebrow, "That was almost what I wanted... try a little harder, Thomas."

She knew what he was doing. There had been these letters invented recently that would record sounds and words, almost like a Howler. However, these notes weren't generally as cruel as Howlers were, and people didn't cringe whenever they received one.

Dean placed his wand against her neck, and then whispered, "Just scream, Gin... It'll be a lot less painful."

"Piss off," she snarled, glaring pointedly at the floor to avoid contact with both males in the room. Dean murmured something softly, and Ginny suddenly felt a sharp, withering pain spread all over her body, painful enough to be the Cruciatus Curse, but she wasn't sure. Her knees buckled, and she fell to the floor, a short howl flying from her lips.

"Good enough," Voldemort muttered, folding up the slip of paper, then pointing his wand at it, muttering the universal release spell. Within seconds, Ginny anguish was echoing throughout the office once more, and she could feel the shame on her cheeks when she heard it. Severus was just going to die...

As if reading her thoughts, Voldemort smirked, "Oh yes... Dear husband will be thrilled to hear this... Let's hope he doesn't do anything rash."

Ginny felt her eyes water at the thought her husband abandoning reason and rushing to her rescue - it would surely result in his death. The Dark Lord sauntered across the room and placed the letter on the leg of a dark owl, and then pushed the window open. In an instant, Ginny wanted to leap up and restrain the bird, maybe even run somewhere safe with it. However, in a fleeting moment, the bird was gone, off to deliver the letter to her husband and Draco.

But along with that bird... went her hope.

* * *

This is unbelievable! First we get arrested, basically strip searched by disgusting older men, and now my sister and I are locked in the same bloody room as Will Turny. I suppose that's not the greatest of my worries (getting killed takes top priority), but I can't stand the fact that I'm stuck with him.

We were put into white robes, clearly so if we escaped, we wouldn't be able to blend in with anyone around Hogwarts. They are quite similar to the ones the prisoners were wearing at Azkaban, but a little cleaner.

Our room was just one of the classrooms. I'm assuming the school is no longer open, seeing as we were at _war_, and we found ourselves locked inside the Charms room. Thankfully, there was enough room to give me some space from Will.

"Where's Auntie Ginny?" Annie asked suddenly, sitting on the window ledge as I leaned against the wall beside her, "Is she in trouble?"

I shrugged, "She's not in trouble... I think she's talking with someone."  
There was no point in frightening her, and to be honest... I had no idea what happened to Ginny. I hadn't seen her since the pub, and for all I know, she could have been killed right then and there.

"I want to go home," Annie whimpered, pulling her legs up to her chest, "I want to see Daddy again-"

"We'll go home soon," I assured her, hating the way deception just rolled off my tongue, "I bet this is all some big misunderstanding."

Although my sister was young, she wasn't stupid. She didn't say anything, but I had a feeling she knew something was terribly wrong with the whole situation.

"Eloise?"

I barely looked over at Will when he called my name. Instead, I folded my arms across my chest and stared out the window, trying my best to just ignore him completely.

"Eloise, you have to talk to me sometime-"

"I don't _ever_ have to talk to you!" I hissed, shooting him a fierce glare, "Ever!"

"Look, just let me explain myself," he pleaded, moving across the stair-like seating arrangements to get closer to me. "I didn't mean for this to happen-"

"So you just took Annie to be funny?" I snarled, noting that my sister tried to say something, but I cut her off, "I don't care what you say, Will... I don't think I'll ever forgive you."

He released a lengthy sigh, then ran a hand through his black, slightly curly hair, "Eloise, I had to take her to protect her... Dean was patrolling the house, and he said anyone we found we would have to kill... I didn't want anything to happen to her, and I didn't think they would find us in Hogsmeade, honestly."

I wanted to lash out at him again, but there was a part of me that knew he was telling the truth. Gingerly, I glanced over at him, "I can't trust you for a long time, Will."

"I know-"

"You've hurt a lot of people I love," I ground out, my lip trembling, "and you've really hurt me... I won't come crawling back-"

"I don't want you to!" he said quickly, standing up and taking a few steps closer, "I just want you to talk to me again, maybe listen to what I have to say... I'm going to keep you and Annie safe while we're here... No one is going to hurt you."

Silence settled over us, and I went to go sit with him on the bench. When he tried to touch my shoulder, I smacked his hand away, but said nothing. I didn't want him to touch me, nor did I want him to hold me. Just sitting by him was good enough, despite the fact I was secretly still over the moon about him.

* * *

"So where'd you find this?" Kevin inquired, shooting his older brother a look as they both munched on something that had many similarities to toffee, but wasn't.

Shane grinned, "I told you... I raided Lupin's candy jar. He has one for all the little kid prisoners, and I figured we could use something sweet."

"Sounds reasonable."

The boys had been sitting outside the prison in the front courtyard for almost two hours now. It was still too hectic inside for their liking, and at least when they were outside no one could yell at them for doing something wrong. The sea was choppy against the rocky outlines of the island, but there was still a sense of hidden beauty in the darkness.

They needed the candy to settle their frantic nerves. Eloise had gone with Ginny to rescue Annie almost three hours ago, and had yet to return. No one wanted to go check on them, since it could blow their cover, but everyone was feeling the anxiety of the girls missing.

Kevin wished to discuss it with his brother, but Shane wasn't really in the mood. He expressed his desire to just sit outside and talk about anything _but_ the war, something Kevin would happily comply with.

"This is good."

"I know."

"We should raid his jar more often."

"Fred and George are pros... We could get them in on it, too."

Kevin snorted, "Can you imagine? We could make an underground candy laundering with the rest of the kids... It'd be sad, but at least we'd have something to do."

"Hmm."

Kevin, once again, was envious of his older brother. Sawyer had been in for almost the entire day to spend time with him, and he was pretty sure his brother and his girlfriend spent the majority of it locked in Shane's room. He wished he had a girlfriend, but the girls his age were so irritating. They wanted to be flirty, but they were over the top most of the time, and couldn't be around boys for long periods of time without bursting into giggling fits.

"Do you see that?"

Kevin snapped out of his thoughts, and his eyes followed Shane's finger toward the sky. There was an owl fluttering toward them, and from what he could tell, it was large and black. Setting his toffee down on the bench they had made their home, Kevin marched a few paces forward, stopping once the owl landed on a metal rubbish bin. Shane too rose to his feet, and stepped in front of Kevin as he made his way over to the owl.

Of course Shane got to go investigate, Kevin thought spitefully as he hurried to catch up, he's the oldest, after all... everything good should happen to him!

"It's for Dad," Shane muttered, cocking his head to the side to read the cursive writing on the envelope. "I guess we can bring it in for him."

He reached forward for the owl's leg, but it instantly snapped at him, leaving a red mark on his hand. Kevin smirked as his brother cursed softly, then snatched the letter away with a bit more force. Once the letter was off its leg, the bird took to flight again, taking off into the setting sun. It was quite picturesque, really.

"Should we read it?"

"And have Lucius beat us for opening something that isn't ours?" Shane snorted, giving him a look, "No... C'mon, let's go find him."

* * *

Draco had spent most of the day worrying about his little girls. He simply couldn't take it anymore, and was in desperate need of some time alone with his other girl, Hermione. They weren't really on good speaking terms since the day before, but he was determined to make that go away with some smooth taking and a back rub.

His parents were sitting with the Weasleys somewhere, and Potter was getting some much needed sleep. Snape was with the Lupins making sure some of the prisoners understood their roles in the attack, which was to happen sometime soon. He hadn't seen Weasley all day, but counted it as a blessing.

Hermione had picked a room which was in a different hall than his own, which was a little annoying, but he still knew how to find it. The hallways were dark with a small amount of torches littered along the walls. It was eerie, but nothing Draco wasn't used to.

He found her door shut, as usual, but didn't bother to knock. If she was sleeping, he would be quiet, but if she was changing... Well, that would be a nice surprise.

Draco pushed the door open gently, only to find Ronald sodding Weasley lounged out on Hermione's bed, while his girlfriend was seated on the pillow, her gimp leg hanging over the edge.

"What the bloody Hell's going on in here?" he demanded, instantly assuming the worst. He hadn't seen either of them all day... and there were only a couple of things grown people with a romantic history could be doing when they were alone.

Hermione jumped, and Ron let out a snort, "Hey, Malfoy-"

"Don't 'hey, Malfoy' me, Weasel," Draco snarled, pulling out his wand and pointing it at the relaxed redhead. "What's going on?"

"Draco!" Hermione shouted, her eyes narrowing, "What's the matter with you?"

"What's the matter with me? How do you-"

"This isn't what you're thinking, Draco," Hermione snapped, pushing herself off the bed, her hand against the wall for support. "We were just talking, all right?"

Just talking... Weasley had been sending her longing looks ever since he saw her in the prison. He knew she was mad at him, but she didn't need to go shag Weasley-

"I'm a married man, Malfoy," Ron said suddenly, bringing Draco out of his murderous thoughts. "If you think I'd cheat on my wife with Hermione, I may just have to hurt you."

"Don't give me that noble bollocks, Weasley," Draco sneered, rolling his eyes at him. "I've seen the way you look at Hermione-"

"Draco!" Hermione groaned, her tone harsh, "Enough!"

"No-"

"Ron, can you just... go?" she sighed, running a hand through her hair, "Please?"

The redhead rose, and after shooting Draco a fiery look, one that Hermione couldn't see, he departed, shutting the door forcefully behind him. A silence moved over the pair as they stared at each other, and Draco folded his arms, nodding to the bed, "Well?"

"Can I not sit in a room and just _talk_ with a man?" she inquired bluntly, shaking her head at him, "We were just talking... I haven't had a real chance to in a long time, and I didn't feel like seeing you, so-"

"So you figured you could just hope in the sac with-"

"We didn't do anything!"

"How do I know that?"

"You should trust me enough to believe me!" she shouted, sitting back down on the bed with her hands limply in her lap, "I don't know how to prove it to you any other way, Draco, so if you don't want to believe me, that's fine."

Draco exhaled deeply, then ran a hand through his hair. This had definitely not been his intention for the night. He regretted losing his temper so quickly, and shifted across the room to sit beside her on the single bed, "I'm sorry."

"You should be," she muttered, staring at her fingertips. "I care about you too much to cheat on you, Draco... You should know that by now."

"I know."

He glanced over with her, and a moment later her eyes flickered up to meet his, sadness in them. Frowning, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "What's wrong?"

"I don't want another war," she whispered, shaking her head as she slid closer to lean against his chest, "I'm afraid of who we're going to lose... I'm afraid to lose you."

Draco snorted, then tilted her head up, "Trust me, I'm a better fighter than most of them out there-"

She giggled, and he shot her a mockery of a glare, "What, do you think that's funny?"

"Quite."

The air finally returned to one of lightness, one he loved to be in when he was with his Hermione. He inched back on the bed, then settled down, his head on the flat pillow, and his feet hanging over the ends. Hermione rolled her eyes, then made herself comfortable as she laid down beside him, her head and hand on his chest.

"So you two were just talking?"

"Yes, Draco," she groaned.

"You swear it?"

"Yes!"

"I could go talk to him, and-"

"_Draco!_"

"I'm just kidding, love," he chuckled, giving her a soft peck on the head as he stroked her hair gently. "I trust you."


	49. EloD

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**_

I completely forgot about the first part of this chapter. Elodie is from my other Tom Riddle stories... and I suppose this story is a sequel, of sorts. Anyway. Just in case you were lost.

* * *

Everything was shimmering. Voldemort glanced down at his hands, and noted that his eyes could barely focus on the spider-like digits. Something strange was happening; something he couldn't control, and that frustrated him beyond belief. The man was the type of person who always had to be in control of every little detail of his life.

Things were going... decently. They had the two Malfoy daughters, Turny and Snape's wife locked up in the castle, and were waiting for the next move from the Order.

It wouldn't take long, and he could be sure their attack would be in massive numbers, considering they just _had_ to rescue the inmates.

However, they would be easily dealt with, and then he could set onto bigger goals...

Like finally buying his beachfront house in the Bahamas, a guilty fantasy he had had for years now. Shaking his head, he forced himself to come out of his thoughts and into the reality of here and now. The irony of that sentence nearly killed him right then and there, and he couldn't help but ponder where _here_ was, to be exact. It had to be a dream, because this was not real. Potter wasn't strong enough to control his dreams, though there were numerous occasions where they were linked.  
But this wasn't one of them. The last thing he remembered was going to sleep, exhausted from dealing with incompetent servants all day. Now, he was here... wherever that was.

"You look well, Tom."

He froze on the spot; that voice... The alluring feminine one that had taunted him for years, right up to her death. Even after that, he was still haunted by it. Her laughter. Her screams. Her fiery temper. Everything.

"Hello, Elodie. I had no idea the dead could still sway my dreams."

"I take it as a personal achievement," she chuckled, slowly coming into view as she walked toward him. Nothing had changed since he last saw her; hair long and white, swept back into a curly bun. Her cheeks were a little wrinkled, though age hadn't taken too much of a toll on her lovely facial features. She had put on a little weight, but what woman didn't when they passed forty?

"We've never done this before," he commented, a little surprised at this meeting. It was so out of the blue, a turn he had never expected. His body stiffened when she came into full view, though once again he couldn't explain why.

_Lovely, Tom, lovely._

Bloody HELL, that voice! He had gotten rid of it _years_ ago... Perhaps just shortly after Elodie passed away, sharing a death with her beloved husband Edward. Old age was the cause, according to the papers.

"I've never thought about dropping in, actually," she mused, an aged hand reaching out to touch him. He backed away instinctively, his lip curling out of disgust, and horror. This wasn't real - his imagination was playing tricks on him again.

"We've watched my little boy grow," Elodie informed him. "I'm sure you know who he is... My darling grandson?"

"Yes, we have a bloody history," he snarled, groping around in his pocket for his wand, which was conveniently not there. "What does this have to do with anything? Why are we here?"

"Does it scare you to be trapped in a dream, Tom?" she asked softly, her eyes flashing with a hint of anger. "You know, like the ones you put Harry in... Is it strange to taste the bitter sweet tang of your own medicine?"

"Mad in life, and mad in death I see," he snorted, finally relaxing when he realized what she was doing. Elodie Potter was toying with him, most likely wanting to put him through the ropes for hurting her grandson so much over the past... twenty, thirty years? He couldn't even keep count anymore, really.  
Harry Potter had ceased being his biggest threat once Dumbledore passed away, and that seemed like eons ago.

"I'm not mad, Tom, and I never have been," she said curtly, tilting her head to the side as she studied him, her voice echoing oddly through the dream-like world he had been shoved into. "I didn't bring you here just because of Harry."

"Oh?" Voldemort laughed, his own voice still piercing and cold, the tones bringing delight to his ears each time he spoke, "Then please... inform me why I'm here so I can get some rest. I have a lot of ... issues to take care of when I wake up."

"So I've noticed," she agreed, nodding her head at him a little, her eyes twinkling faintly. "Let them go."

"What?"

"The children you have locked away in your Charms room," she said bluntly. "They haven't done anything worth imprisonment."

"Oh, I have to disagree, Kitten," he replied, the old pet name rolling off his tongue before he could stop himself. "The boy betrayed me, as did the girl. They deserve death, by most wizarding laws."

"Don't be ridiculous, Tom... I wouldn't call that treason," she snapped, and Voldemort raised his slim eyebrows as the entire white glowing bubble he was in shook violently. Was it controlled by her emotions? But... She was dead. How was this working?

"What would you call it?"

"Love."

"Love?" he sneered, repeating the word with a sense that it had scalded him, "You really are mad-"

"Have you forgotten what love is like, Tom?"

_Dumb girl, Tom, dumb girl._

Yes she was- Shut up! He glared angrily up toward his forehead, and then grimaced, "Love is not something that I know, nor do I ever want to know, Elodie."

She was silent for a minute, and he wondered if he had struck a nerve.

Oh, what was he thinking, the dead couldn't feel! Rolling his eyes, he waited for her response. The woman before him clasped her hands together, and then finally sighed, "So you really do belong here... You're dead inside, Tom."

"I've been so close to death I can taste it," he snarled. "It's still on my lips... However, I am not dead yet."

"You are..." she whispered, and his heart felt a sudden pang of longing. It was strange, this feeling, seeing as he didn't even remember the last time he had felt like this. It must have been her, the old sensations she brought up. They were there when she was alive, all the time, and only made sense that they happened in her death.

"I won't let the children go," he said finally, shattering another quiet moment the pair were sharing. "No matter what you say, Kitten... They are staying with me at the castle."

Her beautiful eyes clouded with sadness, which was so much more noticeable now that she was in his dreams, "I'm sorry, Tom... I tried."

"Yes, yes you did."

Taking a small step away from him, Elodie Potter forced a weak smile, "I'll come for you when you pass on... It's difficult to find your way when you do it alone."

"When I... Elodie, I don't plan on dying anytime-"

"Soon? Yes... It'll be soon."

"Elodie-"

"Good bye, Tom... Please, save your soul, while you still can."

Everything started to go blurry again, and his eyesight was darkening. Releasing a snarl, he rushed blindly toward her figure, reaching out in the growing darkness to find her, calling her name thunderously, yet receiving no answer.

In a minute, it was over, and he was laying in his large bed back at Hogwarts. There was a thin sheet of sweat covering his body, and as he sat up, his head ached horrifically. Placing a hand on his forehead, his eyes darted over toward the clock, reading three thirty and groaning loudly before flopping back down on his mattress.

* * *

While some people found it easy to sleep, Annie Malfoy could not. She was frightened, and had tossed and turned all night. Eloise and Will were cuddled up together on the larger desk near the window. Well, Eloise had fallen asleep, and then Will went and lay down with her, which horrified Annie. Honestly, why would anyone want to sleep like that?

They were... _touching_.

But, no matter how hard she tried, sleep would not overtake her. There were occasions where she would sort of drift out, but then there would be voice from the outside hall, or the sound of a rat scampering across the room, and she would wake up completely, alone and scared in the dark room.

She had no idea how they were going to go home. Why were they here, anyway? She didn't remember doing anything wrong, or anything that would offend someone.

So why on Earth couldn't they leave?

Sighing, she sat up on the floor, rocking her small body back and forth as she curled her legs up and into her chest, a small hint of comfort that she so desperately needed. She wanted to be with her father, and Aunt Hermione. Maybe even her mother... whom she hadn't heard from in far too long.

The door suddenly opened softly, and a burly figure stepped in. Her eyes were used to the dark, so she could see that he was the one from earlier... The one who had brought her here. He had something clutched in his hand, but it was behind his back, so it was a little difficult to see.

He walked through the rows of desks, seeming as though he was checking for something, and then paused when he saw her sitting up on the floor. Clearing his throat, he said her name softly.

"Hello," she muttered meekly. "Who are you?"

He refrained from answering for a moment, and then said, "You... Well, you can call me D."

"Just D?" she asked, a frown touching her youthful face, "Don't you have a real name?"

"I do... I just don't like it."

"Oh."

As softly as he could, he climbed over the desks and walked toward her, "Where is your sister?"

"Asleep."

"Right then..." he trailed off, suddenly sounding as though he was uncomfortable, "I... er, have something for you."

"For me?" she squealed, instantly excited at the chance to be receiving a gift, "What is it? Can I see?"

He scratched his curly hair, and then took a seat in front of her, pulling out a stuffed white bear from behind his back, "I... you know, thought you may... need it, or something."

She giggled loudly and eagerly accepted the toy, always happy to have someone dote on her, even if she wasn't too sure why. The bear had extremely soft fur, and adorable little eyes. Without a second though, she hugged it to her body, inhaling its scent deeply. There was no distinct name that came to mind with the smell, and she figured it didn't really matter.

"Do you... like it?"

"Yeah!" she trilled, holding the bear out and walking it across the floor, "He's so fuzzy and cute!"

Once again D's voice sounded strained, but Annie paid little attention to it, "You're welcome, I guess."

Annie twirled it around, picturing him dancing on a ballroom floor, and then paused, glancing up at the man, "How come you gave me a bear?"

"Well... I..."

He never had the chance to finish his sentence. In the background, Annie heard the distinct sounds of her sister waking up, and as the little girl glanced over her shoulder, she noticed she was quite right. In a moment, Eloise was awake and off the desk, her eyes wide to take in as much light as she could in the darkness.

"Get away from her!"

"Look, Loo!" Annie squeaked, turning around and holding up the bear for her to see proudly, "D got me a bear!"

"What's going on?" Will inquired groggily, sitting up on the desk behind Eloise, his eyes suddenly narrowing when they spotted D on the floor, "You-"

"Oh, go back to sleep, Marishka," D snapped at Will, pushing himself to his feet and glaring at the pair, "I wasn't doing anything bad to her... So, you may just wanna go ahead and _keep_ those nasty thoughts roped back in your brains."

"Get out of here," Eloise ordered shakily, sweeping down and roughly pulling Annie away, dragging her across the floor. Discontent, the little girl slapped her hands away, "No! He's nice... Can't he stay?"

Why wouldn't they let him stay? He gave her a present! Anyone who gave her a real present should have been allowed to hang around for a little while longer.

"No, I seem to have... angered the beast, Annie," D informed her, a sarcasm in his voice that she was far too young to understand completely. "So I think I'll take my leave."

"You do that," Eloise growled, kneeling down behind Annie and holding her close, her eyes glowering at the adult as he bowed dramatically, and then swept out of the room, his footsteps still heard as he rushed down the hall and away.

"I liked him," Annie informed her sibling, irritated that Eloise had sent him away. "You were mean."

"What have we told you about taking things from strangers?" the older girl exclaimed wearily, snatching up the bear, which earned her a cry in protest from Annie. Will slowly swung his legs over the desk, and then slid up behind Eloise, his eyes on her lovely new bear.

"Give him _back_!" Annie whined, jumping to her feet and grabbing at the bear's legs wildly. Eloise made a face at her, and then turned away, checking the bear over for something... something that could have hurt Annie, perhaps? Bah, she had no idea.

"Doesn't appear to have anything wrong with it," her sister said finally, looking up at Will for some reassurance. "Do you think they've put it in here to listen to us?"

"There are less obvious ways to do that," he chuckled, taking the bear away and handing it back down to Annie, who snatched it and held it to her chest possessively. "Maybe he was just trying to be nice..."

"Or win her over."

"Mmm."

Eloise turned back to Annie, and then leaned down a little, fixing her hair, "Look, just don't talk to him again, okay? He's still a bad man."

"But-"

"He is, Annie."

The little girl wrinkled her nose at her sister as she turned around to get back on the desk. How could he be bad? He was so... nice. To Annie, anyway. He had that sardonic edge that her Grandfather had. Maybe that was why she didn't see anything wrong with it.

Much to her surprise, Eloise climbed back onto the desk and cuddled right back up to Will, even though hours earlier she had been furious with him.

Bah, teenagers were so hard to understand. Sighing, Annie made herself comfortable on the floor (well, as comfortable as one could be on the floor.), and then hugged her new toy tightly, sleep _finally_ taking over.

* * *

fSeverus sat outside of the meeting room, on the floor, his head in his hands. They hadn't let him inside, but that was probably a good thing. He was far too emotional at the moment to be trusted with making decisions on their next course of action. Everyone was in one room, deciding how to rescue Ginny. How to rescue Annie and Eloise. And... Well, how to keep Draco from killing Will on sight.

Draco also was forbidden into meetings, as he was also a miserable wreck when the letter from Voldemort arrived the night before. His ears were still ringing with the sounds of Ginny's anguish, and he had barely slept at all. Nightmares kept coming out of nowhere whenever he tried, so why bother trying?

His godson was hauled up in his room with Hermione. The poor woman was forced to skive off the meeting to keep him from hurting himself, as he had taken up the habit of trying to beat the snot out of the cement walls encasing his room. Stupid? Yes. Surprising? No.  
He still wished he could have been included in the meeting; he wanted to have an active voice when it came to the retrieval of his beloved wife. However, he knew there were countless other individuals, the majority from her extensive family, that also had her best interests in mind, so that managed to make him slightly less worried.

The attack needed to happen soon. Much to everyone's shock, most of the inmates had returned after only a few days with their families, ready and able to fight Voldemort. Even if they weren't as skilled as a lot of the Death Eaters, at least they would have strength in numbers. And that alone would be enough to slowly start reclaiming what Voldemort had taken.

He prayed that they managed to do it before the Dark Lord killed Ginny... He wasn't too sure if his old heart could stand another loss in his life.

"Severus?"

He looked up slowly, noticing that Arthur Weasley had left the room, a grim expression on his freshly shaven face, "Hello, Arthur... How are things proceeding?"

"We're finalizing plans for an invasion this evening," the redhead informed him, taking a few steps toward his seated figure, and then leaning back against the wall. "My boys are out of their minds... Molly was frantic this morning. Nightmares..."

"I had them too," Severus admitted weakly, figuring that Ginny's adoring family would be distressed with losing her so quickly. "What are we doing to get her back?"

His new companion slid down the wall, and actually ended up sitting beside him, much to his surprise. Arthur drew in a weary breath, "A small team of us is going to hit the castle, while the rest take on Hogsmeade... I volunteered, as did Lucius and Lupin. Most of the original Order members are up for it. Hagrid knows the grounds, and Moody can use his eye..."

"I will be involved with that," Severus stated, not taking no for an answer. "I want my wife back."

"And I want my only daughter back home," Arthur insisted, his blue eyes turning over to Severus. "She's the only one I've got, Severus..."

It must have been so difficult for Arthur Weasley. Imprisoned all these years, and missing his daughter's wedding... and now that he is finally a free man again, she was taken away.

"I'm sorry, Arthur," Severus muttered weakly, his dark orbs still glued to the ground, "I know you love her very much."

There was a stiff silence, until, "As do you."

"Yes, I do."

Well. This was awkward.

Severus shifted around a little, and then finally tore his gaze up to Arthur, "We'll get her back... alive. Knowing her captors, she will be hurt. Traumatized even, but we'll get her back."

"Sounds reassuring."

"You and I both know there is no point in sugar coating it, Arthur."

"Sometimes things need to be sugar coated," Arthur chuckled, his voice exceedingly strained. "While we're here, perhaps we should talk about Ginny."

Wonderful.

"Is it really necessary, Arthur?" Severus demanded impatiently, not really wanting to discuss his wife with her father. The man shot him an equally annoyed look, and then cleared his throat, "Quite, actually. I still don't know anything about your lives."

"Well, what is there to know?"

"Any thoughts for children?"

Of course. Bloody Hell, they were all alike. It seemed as though the only purpose for the Weasleys at all was to reproduce.

"We've been discussing it lately, but I fear I'm far too old to have a child now," Severus explained tightly, noting the flash of anger in Arthur's eyes. "Ginny spends ample amounts of time with the Malfoy children, though I know she wants them."

"Understandable, I suppose."

"Hmm."

The forced tone of Arthur's voice was evident, though Severus was pretty sure his was equally tensed. The corridors were quite dim, but that was nothing out of the ordinary. Most of Azkaban was dark, even if the sun was shining brilliantly outdoors. There weren't a lot of windows to allow to light in, which was quite depressing for most of the people that had to live inside.

And it wasn't just the Order members living at Azkaban. Inmates with nowhere else to go, or nothing left out of their outside life also remained in the old building, living in the large areas, and charming things into beds inside the cells, whose doors were permanently removed.

"Is she happy?"

"Yes," Severus answered without a doubt. His skills in Occlumency came in handy when trying to read his wife, and his probing had proved that Ginny was happily in love with him, and quite satisfied with their married life. "Ginny does get testy with me, as does Molly I'm sure... and we do fight. But we are like every other married couple out there, with good days and bad."

"Do you keep her chained to the house?"

"No."

"Have you ever?"

Severus paused, "In the first few months, when Voldemort ordered it, she wasn't allowed to go anywhere unless I was present."

"Ah."

"I had to obey Voldemort... He arranged our marriage, after all."

Arthur made a face, "Why you and Ginny?"

"Despite him being... well, him," Severus surmised, trying to think of the best way to explain what he knew, "he actually likes Ginny. She annoys him to death, but he likes that she is strong. At that point in time, after she had been kidnapped, he thought I was lonely, and simply gave her to me as a... gift. Neither of us were happy with the state of things, but we got used to it in time."

He didn't really seem pleased with Snape's answer, but there was nothing he could really do to change that. The pair fell into an ominous silence, the faint grumbles of people from the meeting room barely heard through the stony walls.

Severus swallowed thickly, and then mumbled, "I love her very much."

And with that, he rose to his feet, shoved his hands in his pockets, and began pacing down the dark hallways, trying to pass the time alone.

* * *

"Oh, Ginny? Where are you, love?"

Ginny winced as Dean's songlike voice rang out through the Hogwarts passage, and she tore off down a staircase, nearly tripping over her own feet at the bottom.

He was playing a game with her. A twisted, demented game, in which if she could find an exit that she could get through, she was free to leave. However, most of the windows had been boarded up the night before, and the doors were locked. So, frantically, she was on the run from the man she once knew as Dean Thomas, her heart pounding whenever he playfully called for her.

She was wandless and basically defenseless against him. He had gotten so much stronger than she had expected, and his spellwork was just... out of this world. Not as good as her husband's, but still pretty damn good. There was a need in her gut to find Eloise and Annie, and make sure nothing horrific had happened to them, but that was becoming increasingly difficult as Dean put her through the ropes.

Coming to a screeching halt at one of the intersections, she peered around the corners, the soles of her bare feet aching from all the running she had been doing for the past hour and a bit. Heavy breathing was suddenly heard from behind her, and she let out a shrill scream when Dean slipped his arm around her waist, spinning her around and thrusting her face first into the wall, his mouth next to her ear.

"Look at that," he leered, lips tickling the shell of her ear, "I found you."

"Get off me, Dean!" she ordered sharply, elbowing back against him, only stilling when she felt his wand press against the base of her neck. His laughter was so hateful, so crude, "Be nice, Ginny... I can be nice, too, you know."

"You're sick-"

"A notion we all generally agree on there, Pippy Longstocking."

Dean let out a soft growl, and turned her around, revealing a man she knew as D, and nothing more. He had a rather grim look on his face, and seemed to be frustrated with something.

"What crawled up your arse and died, D?" Dean snapped, his hand curving around her hips and pinching, "I'm just having a little fun. How did last night go?"

Last night?

"Not quite as planned," D remarked, rolling his eyes, "Barbie threw me out."

Barbie? Eloise! Her eyes widened, "What did you do to her, you sick-"

"I'm not the sick one here, okay muffin?" D stated with a hint of amusement, "The freak holding you is sicker than I am."

"I..."

"Besides, D was in there to see his baby girl," Dean sneered, his lips once again pressed to the side of her face, his breath hot. "He's not the kind of guy that samples from his own gene pool."

Ginny's face blanched, "Baby girl... I... What?"

"Didn't D tell you?" Dean inquired, clearly amused by the vacant expression on the other man's face, "Annie is his daughter."


	50. Storming the Keep

Ginny blinked and stood in silent shock. When she finally found her voice, she snapped, "What do you _mean_ she's your daughter? She's Draco and Joyce's-"

"No," D muttered softly, shaking his head. "No... She's mine, I'm sure of it."

"How is that possible?" she snarled, trying to wiggle free from Dean's oppressive grip.

This just didn't seem... real. Annie copied Draco's actions perfectly - she seemed so much like Narcissa that one would almost think she was a little carbon copy of her. Although yes, she didn't exactly resemble her siblings as much as they all did. Annie had always had curly hair, while the rest had straight, and her eyes were a much brighter shade of blue... and now that she looked, Ginny winced when she noticed D also shared that same shade.

"Joyce and I were... together," he explained weakly, running a hand through his hair. "Not together in a public sense, but in a private one. She didn't want her children to know she was dating me, for some dumb reason that I never found out... Maybe she was worried that if we had a fight and I left, her kids would see a father for a while, and then lose it. I never would have left, but she was a little... paranoid. I mean, after Malfoy just up and went, I'm not really surprised."

Ginny chewed through the quick bits of information, and then shook her head, "But Draco came to visit Joyce... He stayed the night, and she was pregnant soon after that."

"Yeah, I heard about him staying the night," D mused, smirking a little. "Poor bastard went over to talk about financial assistance for the kids, and then fell asleep on her couch after drinking a little too much wine. They never... 'slept' together. People just assumed that was what happened, and Joyce didn't deny it."

But why wouldn't she? It only made sense - at that time, she and Draco were still basically married. It could have been a reason to draw him back in.

"I spent a lot of my time here in England, working for the Dark Lord when Annie was born," D admitted, continuing on with his tale. "But I only did it because he was the only thing powerful at that point in time. There was no sense working for the Ministry, like Joyce, since they were kicking people off left right and center. So, I acted as a guard in Azkaban, only until Joyce told me she wanted to send Shane to Salem for schooling. She figured it would be safer there, and that school is a Hell of a lot cheaper than Hogwarts. Because if you remember, the Dark Lord was making Ministry families pay for schooling. It was building up, and she knew she couldn't afford to give all of her children an education. So, she sent Shane there, and I applied to Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher there, promising her I would keep an eye on him until he was ready to move back."

That sort of made sense. Shane had told her he knew this professor quite well from school in the States, and D was generally only lenient to him in class. It wasn't because he liked the boy, but it was because he was his lover's son, and D had sworn to look after him.

"Well, she decided to pull Shane out of Salem quite quickly after only two years there," D blurted, releasing a heavy sigh, as though he had been dying to get this off his chest for ages. "I followed, and applied for the same position at Hogwarts. The Dark Lord knew who I was, and granted me permission instantly. I think he knew why I was doing it, but if he did, he didn't say anything. Joyce sent the children off to live with Malfoy, even our baby... My little girl, Annie. I didn't know where the Malfoys lived, or I would have gone to see them. However, she said if I went, I would probably get sidled with all the children, since she had a feeling the Malfoys didn't really want them-"

"The Malfoys love those children," Ginny hissed through gritted teeth, disgusted by his lack of caring for the other three. "All of them."

D swallowed thickly, "Yeah, well... I don't know. I stayed with Joyce until the day our house was raided, and she was killed. They let me live, so long as I didn't tell anyone the reasons for her death... They simply wanted to get rid of all the old Ministry workers as quickly as possible. In the paper they marked her up for treason, but I don't remember her committing any sort of crimes."

"Typical."

"Shut up," Dean grunted, speaking for the first time in ages. Ginny glanced over her shoulder and shot him an annoyed look, then implored D to go on with his story.

"Nothing much more... to tell, really," the man mumbled, suddenly fascinated with his hands. "I mean... I saw her, and I just... I wanted to be something in her life, you know?"

"She's gone through a bit of a rough time with men who want to be in her life," Ginny stated. "I don't think you should push yourself on her."

"Oh, I won't-"

"Good... because she doesn't need that right now."

Someone cleared their throat pointedly, and all three of them turned their heads to see Voldemort standing there, large circles around his maroon eyes.

"As touching as this is," he hissed as Dean and D bowed their head. "Lock her up, and then report to my office... We're going to be under attack soon."

There was such an eerie calmness to his voice, and Ginny trembled slightly, knowing that people were coming for her, but unaware just how many.

Dean dragged her back through the hallways of her beloved Hogwarts, and then shoved her into the classroom which she had spent the night in.

"I'll be back soon," he informed her through the wooden door. She shot him a disgusted look, and then held herself in a solo hug, praying everyone else would be safe, and nothing horrible had happened to the children. She wasn't sure if she would be able to forgive herself if something happened to Annie and Eloise. Will... Well, she was pretty sure she'd get over him.

* * *

"All right," Lupin said loudly over the crowd of people. "If you are excellent at defensive spells, I want you to find someone who is good with offensive spells... They will be your partner for the Hogsmeade invasion... You _will not_ leave their side unless one of you dies, is that understood?"

Lucius watched from his little bench as Lupin directed people - the man was a born leader. The elder Malfoy really wouldn't have had the patience to deal with so many idiots at once, and there was a chance that many would have been singed if Lucius was running things.

In several moments, the weary werewolf tromped over to Lucius, and then took a seat beside him on the bench, running a hand through his greying hair, "I think it's finally drilled into their heads..."  
They had spent nearly a day and a half making people repeat the plan aloud so it would stay firmly in their minds. It wasn't a difficult one, really. There wouldn't be enough Death Eaters to fend off an attack of this size, especially in Hogsmeade where the protection spells would reach. So, a small task force would lead the masses into Hogsmeade. This consisted of Draco, Hermione, Hagrid, Molly and Arthur Weasley, along with several other members of the Order that Lucius didn't know. It was Hermione's duty to break the defense around the castle, the protective spells that they discovered were oddly common, and then lead everyone inside. Draco would assist her, seeing as she still couldn't walk properly. Her leg was healing, and although she didn't need a cane anymore, she ended up becoming tired pretty easily.

Meanwhile, thanks to Draco's knowledge of the Room of Requirement, and Harry's, another task force would infiltrate the cast ahead of everyone else. This was made up of himself, the Lupins, Minerva McGonagall, who had come down (despite being quite sick), Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Severus. They were quite a powerful little group of wizards, and Lucius knew the Death Eaters within the castle wouldn't exactly be highly skilled.

Voldemort had sent the powerful ones to work in the Ministry, in hopes that they would sort out all of his messes. This was, unfortunately, a mistake. Apparently word had leaked about the Azkaban escape, and there were riots of witches and wizards popping up in the Alleys of London, no doubt causing havoc to the 'Ministry'. Lucius couldn't be more thrilled that he had changed sides. He had really done it so long ago, the moment his dear family fell under direct threat of Voldemort. However, there was nothing he could really do about it, until now.

Once they stormed the castle, the main objective was to kill as many Death Eaters as possible, while leaving Potter to take on Voldemort. It was written in the stars that the boy and the Dark Lord should duel, and no one was ready to object to that. The Death Eaters that were alive will be locked away in Iceland, they decided. Remus had negotiated an agreement with the wizarding Minister there, and he agreed to house all the Death Eaters in his most remote prisons, from which very few people ever escaped.

"They'll be ready," Lucius mused, his eyes twitching up to the sky, taking in the rare afternoon sun. The days were a lot chillier now, seeing as it was hitting late November. However, there wasn't one single space large enough in the prison to hold meetings like these, so they had to be done outside. There were an odd amount of teenagers around, but no one asked them if they were of age. If they weren't, it was their fault. At this point in time, the only thing anyone cared about was having a massive army barreling through Hogsmeade to scare off the guards. There was a pretty good chance a lot of the young ones wouldn't even have to fire off a spell.

"We can only hope," Remus chuckled, watching as the crowd slowly dispersed, some apparating home, others going back inside in small groups, chattering excitedly about the invasion that evening. It came up faster than anyone ever expected, but they needed to act quickly and get this whole damn thing over with.

"You've done... well with them," Lucius complimented, avoiding his gaze from the man.

Lupin smiled, "You know... I never thought I'd be able to lead... It was more of James' thing when I was in school."

"Potter?"

"Hmm."

Finally, he turned to look at the man, who was actually related to him by marriage now. Tonks was Narcissa's niece, but Lucius wasn't exactly sure what sort of relation Remus Lupin had to him now. He just knew they would probably be having them over for holidays and such, seeing as they actually got along now. Bellatrix had been animate about killing the pair, but the insane bat had been pushed for far out of their lives that no one really listened to her anymore.

"Listen, when this is... over," Lucius started, the whole "family" thing still fresh on his mind, "I really think Narcissa would like it if you and your wife came to spend some of the holidays with us. Seeing as you are both... family, after all."

A small smile touched Lupin's thin lips, and he nodded, his eyes understanding completely, "I think Tonks would like that, too."

A soft breeze billowed between the two, and they sat in silence for some time, just watching the water birds circling the rocky coast line, occasionally diving down and coming back up with a fish.  
A glint of blonde hair caught the corner of his eye, and Lucius glanced over to the half-restored old prison, spotting his wife strolling toward them. He frowned; she was clad in a pair of pants and a loose shirt, a dark green cloak draped across her slim shoulders. Normally she... She was normally in a bloody dress! What... His frowned deepened when he realized why she had dressed in clothes that grant her the ability to run with ease.

"I've signed on for the Hogwarts invasion," she informed the pair of them. "I'm coming with you."

Remus looked between the pair, obviously catching the angered look in Lucius's eye, and the determined one in his wife's, and then cleared his throat, "Great, Narcissa... I'm just... going to check on something with Tonks."

"Run, you coward," Lucius grunted, his eyes still fixed on his wife. "_You_, come here."

"Don't you dare refer to me as _you_, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy," Narcissa sniped, elegantly floating over to him and taking a seat on the dirty bench, taking a moment to wrap her cloak around her body a little more.

A tense silence settled over the pair, and Lucius finally decided he may as well be the one to break it, "You're not coming."

"Yes, yes I am." Narcissa's lips tilted upward into a grin, "Why do you still try to argue with me, dearest... You know I always win."

"I'm being quite serious about this, Cissa," he stated, angling his body toward her as he placed his arm on the back of the bench, casually stroking her shoulder with the tips of his fingers. "There is a lot of risk on the Hogwarts team... Why don't you go with Draco-"

"I'll do what I wish, Lucius," she reinforced icily. "My ... Our grandchildren are in that castle. Draco can watch the boys, but I want to be there when we find the girls. Is that so hard for you to understand?"

Her tone wavered as she spoke, and Lucius could tell she was worried Voldemort would take more family members from her before she could stop him. In the most comforting way possible, he pushed himself a little closer to her body, and then wrapped his arm firmly around her, giving the top of her head a soft kiss before muttering, "You never leave my sight... Understood?"

"Yes."

* * *

Harry took a small swig of his butterbeer, his feet swinging in the breeze. He, Ron, Hermione and Draco were seated on the top of Azkaban, staring out toward the open sea. It gave him hope that good would come from the night ahead. They were all just... talking. Reminiscing about school, about times where people weren't really that afraid to admit they had Muggle parents, and about what they planned to do in the future.

"Luna and I are going to enroll the boys in school," Ron explained, his shoulders touching Harry on one side, and Hermione on the other. Draco was wrapped around their sole female best friend, his head resting on her shoulder as their legs hung over the edge. Harry wasn't too sure how much of the conversation Draco was listening to, but he commented on occasion.

"Harry, I think you should go for Headmaster," Hermione added, her hands on Draco's arms as she spoke. "It only makes sense, doesn't it? Once we get Hogwarts back... Ron, you could move closer down here... It would be like old times again."

"Yeah... I can't wait for that."

It was so close. Harry didn't want to be too confident, but he knew tonight would be a victory, even if it was just a small one. The idea of becoming Headmaster to Hogwarts was definitely appealing. He planned on fixing it up, seeing as they were going to basically destroy it that evening, and then reopen it to all students, no matter their background or blood. It was a comforting thought. Still, he had to face Voldemort. That was eating away at him slowly. What if he failed? What if Voldemort killed him? He knew there was nothing he could do about it at that point in time, but he had been thinking about it for weeks now. Weeks of plotting just what spell to use at the right moment. Weeks of worrying what would happen to his friends if he died. It all came down to the next offensive attack. It had to be a good one.

"My children really like you guys," Draco said suddenly, lifting his head from Hermione's shoulder and gazing over at the pair. "I think they'd like it if you were around more often... You know, maybe my kids can... I don't know, be friends with your kids."

Ron smirked, "Wow, Malfoy... That must have taken a lot to say."

"Yeah... It did."

Hermione released a soft giggle and placed a kiss on his cheek. He smiled at her, and Harry could tell there was such a strong adoration in his grey eyes that it was slightly sickening. Letting go of her, Draco scrambled to his feet, and then asked Hermione if she would take one last walk with him, alone, before they left for the evening. She nodded, and then let him help her to her feet, slipping an arm around her waist for support as they walked across the rock strewn roof toward the hole they were using as a door.

"Maybe Cameron could marry Annie... Then you and Malfoy would definitely be related," Harry chuckled, remembering Ron's youngest son was close in age to the little Malfoy girl. Ron's face blanched, and Harry let out a barrelling laugh, clapping a hand on his shoulder, "I'm just kidding, mate."

Ron chuckled weakly, though didn't seem completely convinced.

"You think he really loves her?"

Harry sighed, knowing the question was going to come up at one point or another, "I don't know... It seems like it, doesn't it? I mean... I can't see him doing a lot of the stuff he does for just anyone, you know?"

"I guess," Ron muttered, finishing off his drink, and then hurling it out off the roof, both of the men watching as it sailed down into the water. "If he hurts her though..."

"We'll both kill him."

The two lifelong friends looked at each other, and then grinned, "Deal."

"Ron?"

They both peered back over their shoulders and spotted Luna poking her head out of the hole in the roof, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Yeah... Yeah, sure," Ron replied, patting Harry on the shoulder before jumping up to his feet, hurrying over to his wife. Harry watched as Ron sidled down and gave Luna a quick peck on the lips, and they vanished together, leaving Harry alone to his thoughts on the roof.

Smiling, he held up his butterbeer, and murmured, "To victory."

* * *

"Hey... Look at this."

"What?"

I picked up a large rectangular scale set and held it up for Will to see, "Think it could be useful?"  
The castle had been oddly quiet all day long, and we knew something big was going to happen. However, we didn't just want to sit around and wait. Annie was still obsessing over the bear Mr. D gave her, which seems a little creepy to me. I won't tell her that, since she loves the damn thing, but I kind of hope she accidentally leaves it behind somewhere so we don't have to see it anymore.

Will and I are... sort of back to normal. We cuddled all night last night. I don't know if it was because I was looking for comfort, or if it was because I still had feelings for him. Actually, I think both have quite valid points in that argument.

Will hurried across the room and took the metal scales from me, weighing them in his hands, "If anything, we can use them to beat someone across the head."

Annie gave a little squeak, and I shot him a look, "Nicely done."

Shrugging, he handed them back to me, and then glanced at the door. I watched as his eyebrows slowly rose up his forehead, and I could tell he was formulating an idea.

"I've got an idea..."

I knew it.

Taking back the scale, Will marched across the room quickly, and then rammed it into the door, jamming it forcefully between the handle and the lock. Annie squealed again, and I hissed for her to shut up as I watched him slowly, but surely, pry the door open. A smile became plastered across my lips, and I hurried over to him, bending down a little to his level and giving him a kiss on the cheek, "Brilliant."

"I know, baby," he chuckled, winking at me, "I know."

"Modest too, always a plus," I snorted, turning back to see my sister. "C'mon, Annie, we're getting out of here."

She hopped off the desk on which we had placed her early this morning, and bounced over to us, "Can we find a toilet, first?"

"Why?"

"I need to pee..." she whined, crossing her legs hurriedly.

Will wrinkled his nose, and I rolled my eyes once more, "Right. Let's go find one of the girls' toilets... There's one just down the hall from here."

Moving as silently as we could, I was surprised that they hadn't placed a charm on the door to alert someone we had escaped. Not that I would sit around and ponder on it, but it was a little strange. With Will holding one hand, and Annie gripping the other, we crept down the hallway, and then rushed Annie in when we found the toilets.

"Good thinking with the scale..." I muttered, smiling up at him. Will grinned back, and then brought my hand up to his lips, giving it a soft kiss, "You're welcome."

My cheeks coloured, and his grin broadened into a full out smile, "I love it when you blush... You look adorable."

Gods, I like him so much.

"I'm all done!" Annie announced, her voice high and squeaky as she hopped out of the bathroom. I sighed, and then grabbed her hand, hoping the only reason it was wet was because she washed it, and then dragged her along the hall as we went, stopping every so often to avoid getting seen by a passing Death Eater. Thank Merlin there were an ample amount of large statues around, otherwise I'm pretty sure we would have been seen loads of time. The sky was darkening quite quickly outside, and it was safe to assume that the evening had started as we tried to find a safe way out of the castle. A lot of the windows were bolted shut, and there were at least a pair of wizards at every exit. While we still had our trusty scale, there was no way we could do anything wandless.

All of a sudden, an explosion sounded brilliantly through the night air, and as we rushed to a nearby window, my jaw dropped as we saw what appeared to be hundreds of witches and wizards appearing in the nearby village, firing off spells in all directions. My stomach did a little knot dance, and I squeezed Will's hand; our rescue had finally come.

Well, I doubt it's just _our_ rescue, but you know... The brigade had finally come to take down the evil bastard who runs this place. Grinning at my boy and holding my sister just a little tighter, we tore off running down the halls at the sound of footsteps and panicked voices. Apparently the blast had awoken some of the lazy Death Eaters who weren't taking anything seriously. Turning a sharp corner, I let out a scream of shock when Harry Potter tumbled out from a spot in the wall, and was soon followed by his mate Ron Weasley.

"Eloise!"

"Hey!"

My voice sounded oddly high, but I didn't really care about that right now. The two men were soon followed by Remus and his wife, Uncle Severus, some people whose names were slipping my mind, and my grandparents.

"Grandfather!" Annie squealed, ripping her hand away from mine and rushing toward Lucius, who eagerly opened his arms and lifted her into a hug, stepping aside as a few more people came out of the wall. Grandmother swept over to my side, taking me into her slim arms and holding me close. Smiling, I looked up at her, and then past her, "Where's dad?"

"And where's Shane and Kev?" Annie inquired, her arms so tightly wrapped around Lucius's neck that I could almost see him going a little red. Grandmother beamed at me, "They are down in Hogsmeade, leading the attack there."

That was relieving, though only slightly. Lucius carefully set Annie down, and then stepped toward Will, his eyes slowly narrowing. Will cleared his throat awkwardly, and then forced a smile. However, before he could even say anything, Lucius punched him in the face.

"Grandfather!" I shouted, hurrying to Will's side and kneeling down. He seemed a little dazed, but otherwise all right.

"Nicely done, sir," Harry chuckled. Grandmother rolled her eyes, "How Muggle of you, dearest."

"I'm sure Draco will be tempted to do _much_ worse," Lucius hissed, and I felt Will wince in my grasp. "So I suggest you watch yourself."

The group moved on hastily, with both my grandparents giving Annie and I a kiss on the head as they passed. Their facial expressions were those of determination, and I had actually never seen them look like that before. We were left with Tonks, who smiled meekly, "I'll be watching you... So, let's find us somewhere safe and we'll... ice his jaw."

Will let out a soft groan and I helped him to his feet.

* * *

Bloody fucking Hell. They were in the school.

Voldemort let out an angry snarl and continued pacing in his office. This had come up too quickly, and there were too many of them. He wouldn't admit defeat on a whim, but he knew things weren't going to turn out well for him and his men. Well, mainly his men - he had a feeling his escape would be talked about for years, right after he slaughtered Potter.

_Save your soul, Tom. Do something good, for once..._

"Get out of my head, Elodie," he sneered, glaring at himself in a nearby mirror, and then shouting for his top guards to see him. Unfortunately, all the showed up were Dean Thomas and D. Grumbling softly to himself, he grabbed his wand off the desk and continued pacing, the speed renewed as he thought, "Rally everyone in here... Hogsmeade is lost, and we've already got a group of them in the castle."

The portraits had informed him when Potter and his motley crew fumbled out of the Room of Requirement, and they had also told him exactly when the Malfoy brats had escaped the Charms room. Although he knew he should have held the children, seeing as they would have been good hostages, he had bigger things to think about.

"I'll see to that, my Lord," D grunted, turning sharply on his heel and departing. Voldemort's sharp gaze turned on Dean, and he snarled, "See that Snape's wife doesn't escape, or it's your head, Thomas."

"Yes, my Lord."

Within moments he was alone again in his office, still fuming that he had let himself lose everything so quickly. No, he hadn't lost year. The boy was weak. They were all weak. In a matter of hours, they would all be dead.

_Tom, please... I'm begging you-_

"Out, Elodie!" Voldemort roared, picking up a book and flinging it at the mirror, his breathing heavy as the item shattered into countless little pieces. Dumbledore's portrait clucked disapprovingly from its place on the floor. Bloody Hell, even though he wasn't facing outward, he still knew something was infuriating the Dark wizard.

Hopefully that witch would be out of his head.

_When you pass on, call for me... I'll come for you._

"I'm sorry that I won't be giving you that satisfaction," Voldemort seethed, "but I don't plan on dying. Not now, not ever."

He could hear soft laughing coming from all corners of the room, but he blocked it out as he left, slamming the door behind him with all his might.

* * *

Snape had broken away from his team for one reason, and one reason only; to rescue his wife. Narcissa was very reluctant to let him go, but after several very agonizing moments of assuring her that he would be fine, and was quite the capable wizard, she gave him her blessing. Not that he needed it, but it was still nice to have. He didn't bother bidding Lucius farewell, since they both knew they were going to be seeing each other very soon.

Eloise suggested checking in the first floor spare classroom, since that was where she last heard Ginny had been taken. It wasn't exactly much of a lead to go on, but he thanked her mentally over and over again when he spotted Dean Thomas leaning on the door, his wand clutched in his left hand, and his eyes peeling the area before him. Snorting softly, he crouched down on the floor just around the corner from the idiot boy, and then murmured a stunning spell. The brilliant jet of blue light whizzed across the space between them, and there was a satisfying 'thud' as Dean fell to the floor, stunned.

Getting to his feet quickly, he rushed to the door, not caring if anyone else saw him. He knew he was just so close to his wife...

"Severus?"

"Ginny..." he breathed, leaning his head against the cold wood, seeing her eyes through the tiny window, "We've already started the raid, both in here and at Hogsmeade... Let me get you out."

"Kill Dean first."

His hand stilled as he raised it to get the lock open, "What?"

"Kill him... Please, Severus," she whispered, stepping up closer to the window, her eyes a little misty, "I can't stand to see him like this... He'll be happier dead."

Not needing to be told twice, Severus turned around and fired the killing curse at his former student, his eyes emotionless. In a moment or so, he brought his attention back to his wife, and unlocked the door with his wand. Before he could even try to open it, she shoved it free and leapt into his arms, throwing her skinny arms around his neck tightly.

"You see..." he chocked, his face buried in her red hair, "This is why I didn't want you to go."

"Shut up, Severus," she muttered. And there they stood for what seemed like eternity, just holding each other. Spells and explosions were filling the thick air, but neither cared. All that mattered at that point in time was each other.

* * *

"Should we do it, Fred?"

"I think we should, George."

The two twins huddled together on the floor, pulling out a live rat from their sac of tricks. They had covered the fur with poison before they left, and were very careful not to touch the soft exterior. Slithering along was Nagini, Voldemort's most prized possession. Sharing an identical smirk, they set loose the small creature.

The snake picked up on the soft scratching of his paws in an instant, and if you blinked, you would have missed the large beast swallowing the smaller one whole. Fred wrinkled his nose, and George gave a tearful dramatic solute to their fallen comrade, who was already doing his part. Nagini hissed a few times, and then ceased all movement.

"Well done, Fred."

"Same to you, George."

"Shall we carry on then?"

"I think we shall."

"There are several Death Eaters who need fireworks shoved down their pants."

"I couldn't agree more."

* * *

Harry weaved into the Great Hall, stopping dead in his tracks as he saw the sight ahead of him. It seemed as though everyone was battling each other at the same time. Sending out spells in all directions, his friends fought valiantly against Voldemort's men. He would have been there the entire time, but he had gone down to get rid of a few guards who stood opposing the oncoming army of witches and wizards from Hogsmeade. He spotted Draco, who was with his two sons, and Hermione in the pack somewhere, but hadn't spent too much time dwelling on it. Snape had found Ginny, and they soon hurried off to the Great Hall to take on Death Eaters.

As he stepped into the room, everything seemed to freeze. Voldemort sent Lucius and McGonagall flying back in the air, both of them landing roughly in a pile near the old Slytherin table. Sharply, the maroon eyes landed on him, and the Dark Lord snarled for the attacking Death Eaters to get away, seeing as Harry was his and his alone. In silence, people scuttled off to the side, sending a spell at one another every so often. Most were just too interested in what was going to happen to do anything.

"So here we are, Potter," Voldemort barked, "the final battle of our era... Are you finally ready to die?"

"Are you finally ready to make a wholehearted attempt at killing me?"

He heard someone snort loudly from the side, and Voldemort sneered in their general direction. Both men had their wands raised, and they began circling each other, both trying to decide who was going to attack first.

Voldemort made a move, and Harry just barely deflected it. That high, cruel laughter filled the hall, and Harry flung another offensive spell at him, hoping to throw him off the scent of what he wanted to do.

"Come on, Potter, you can do better than that!" Voldemort shouted, nicking his arm with his last spell. Harry could feel his chest heaving, and he was slowly getting worn down. There were small cries of encouragement from the crowd, mostly from Ron. The doorway to the Great Hall was suddenly with people, and Harry peered over Voldemort's shoulder to see Hermione's frantic expression, "Come on, Harry!"

"Great, Potter, they've all come to see you die..."

"I don't think so..."

They began their dance again, flinging every spell that came to mind at each other, ducking, dodging and weaving to avoid being knocked out by some trivial thing.

"Do you know what I'm going to do to all of your little friends when you die?" Voldemort inquired softly, flicking his wrist to send another spell his way. Harry had to roll onto the ground to avoid getting hit.

"I'm going to spread them out... give them to my Death Eaters, and they can do what they wish. They're all going to suffer, and it's all because they are close to you."

Harry gritted his teeth, and then decided it was now or never.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Voldemort managed to block his killing curse, but was suddenly hit with another one from behind. He fell to his knees, and then went face first into the ground, deathly still. Had they... Had they killed him?

Harry looked up to see his true killer, and his eyes landed on Narcissa Malfoy, her wand out and clasped tightly in her shaking hand, her face extremely pale.

_**

* * *

**_

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**_

So. I just wanted to remind people that this is AU, and it was written before I knew about horcruxes and whatnot. Hence the easy kill. Also. No death of Fred. He's too awesome to kill.


	51. Finale

Narcissa stood very still. The only part of her body that was moving happened to be her wand arm, which was shaking beyond her control. She had done it... All those years of daydreaming about that moment had finally come true. Whether or not Voldemort was dead was still up for debate, but she had done what she had dreamed of doing since the very first day she met the man; she had used the Avada on him, and ended his tyrannical reign.

Hopefully.

Potter was the first to reach Voldemort. People were rushing past Narcissa, though everything was still in a haze. She vaguely felt Draco pulling her to the side as some of the witches and wizards from the Hogsmeade invasion rushed in, aiding the Hogwarts brigade to round of the fitful Death Eaters before they could flee the scene.

Her eyes were glued to Harry Potter, and she watched as he rolled Voldemort over. The man's eyes were blank and unmoving, even as Harry batted his hand in front of them. Harry then checked his pulse for several long minutes, just to ensure Voldemort hadn't been faking anything. With a triumphant smile on his face, Harry's green eyes flashed up to hers, and he nodded, reaffirming in everyone's mind that the former Dark Lord Voldemort had died.

The Great Hall erupted in cheers, and Narcissa felt her eyes start to well. He was finally _gone_. Draco held her tight against his chest, though she weakly pushed him away, murmuring, "Please, go and find your children..."

"Mother-"

"Now, Draco," she hissed, stepping away from him and nodding over to the spot where Eloise and Annie stood, a rather protective looking Will eyeing the crowd with unnatural suspicion. Touching her arm affectionately, Draco tore off toward them, pushing past that half-giant Hagrid in order to get to his daughters.

People were patting her on the back as they moved into the Great Hall, each one of them wanting to get a better look at the fallen dark wizard. Naturally, the Order members were already making a circle around him, just to make sure no one violated the body any more than it should be. Besides, there was no sense destroying the corpse; the soul was already gone.

Hermione limped toward her, and then gently touched her shoulder, "I think you're everyone's new best friend."

Narcissa grinned back at her, "I should hope not... I don't need all the attention. I would, however, like to find _my_ best friend."

Of course, she meant Lucius. They had been separated after arriving at Hogwarts, and somehow she ended up with the Hogsmeade clan, while he was somewhere in the castle. Her head kept throwing her negative images of his body, mangled and dead on the floor, but she knew in all honesty that her Lucius would not let anyone get the better of him now. Not when they both had so much to live for.

"Well, Severus is with Ginny," Hermione stated, pointing over to the far side of the Great Hall. Both of the Snapes were helping Nymphadora Tonks to her feet, as she seemed to be injured. "And Lucius is over with McGonagall... I hear he was duelling Voldemort before Harry was."

That sounded like her Lucius. He always wanted to be in the thick of things, even when he was a Death Eater. Blue eyes carefully searched the Great Hall once Hermione limped off to inspect Voldemort's body for herself, and they were suddenly met with advancing grey ones. Letting out a soft sigh of relief, Narcissa felt a smile etch across her features as her husband limped over to her, mimicking Hermione a little. Hermione, however, still had a cane to lean on. Lucius appeared to have a small gash on his cheek, and something was wrong with his left foot. Apparently those in the Hogsmeade brigade did a lot less face-to-face combat than the Hogwarts team did.

She hadn't meant to look away, but something else caught her eye. A dark body in the corner, slumped up against the wall with a look of wild hysteria in her eye. Dead, yet still wild, was the former Bellatrix Lestrange. Narcissa felt her throat tighten at the sight. She still loved her sister, though the woman was too far gone into the Dark Arts for her to save. Hopefully she would be in a more enjoyable place in the grave. Her husband was already dead; they had seen his body on the way in to the battered castle.

"Narcissa!"

Her attention returned to the living, and she was instantly swept up by Lucius, who lost his balance slightly, causing the pair to fall back against the wall.

"Are you all right?" she asked worriedly in his ear, stroking his blonde hair lovingly as they stood very still for some time. Finally, Lucius pushed himself off and leaned on his good foot, his eyes raking over her appearance, "What did I tell you?"

"I don't know, dearest," she replied honestly, shooting him a grin. "What did you tell me?"

"I told you not to leave my sight," he snapped, clearly irritated that she had gotten separated from him.

"You have no idea how worried I was that something dreadful had happened... I'm really too old to start dating again, Cissa."

... What? It took Narcissa a moment to grasp what he had just said, and an even a moment longer to catch the cheeky sarcasm that her husband was so well known for. She slapped his arm playfully, and then threw hers around his neck, holding him close as several rather fat tears rolled down her cheeks. For once, they were not tears of sorrow, but those of pure contentment, something she had not felt for years.

* * *

Is it really over?

I stared around the Great Hall, watching as people filled in to get a better look at Voldemort. He was indeed dead, and it barely dawned on me that we would never have to listen to him again, or be ruled over him at school... and Aunt Hermione wouldn't have to go into hiding... Bloody Hell, there were so many plus sides to this!

Releasing an excited squeal, I leapt up onto Will from behind, wrapping my arms around him tightly. He seemed a little off guard, but casually turned back and dragged me into a hug, holding me close as we both watched people scramble about, most likely to keep the left over Death Eaters from running away.

"It's over," I whispered, my voice shaking out of sheer giddiness. "We never have to... to..."

"Be afraid of him again?" Will suggested, chuckling at my demeanour, "Isn't it wonderful?"

"Wonderful?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow, "When has a straight bloke ever said _wonderful_?"

"We just won a war," he snorted, "and you're focusing on that? Merlin, Eloise..."

"Shut up," I giggled, leaning up to give a kiss, yet careful to avoid his blackening eye. I never thought my grandfather would physically hit someone, but I was seriously proved wrong.

Annie let out a disgusted groan beside me, and then poked me stomach, "Father won't like you kissing some _boy_ in public."

"What father doesn't see won't hurt him," I mused, pushing myself up and giving Will a quick kiss on the lips. It was a sign that I had almost forgiven him for all the crap he put Harry through. I couldn't believe he had turned him in, but I was willing to slowly move past that, seeing as we were just such a _good_ couple.

"I think father knows, Loo."

Frowning, I looked from Annie into the direction she was staring at, and almost leapt off of Will to throw myself at my dad. A couple of months ago, there would have been no way in Hell I would have voluntarily hugged this man. However, after all that we've been through, I think he deserves a little something. Besides, I was genuinely worried for his safety when Tonks told me he was leading the attack in Hogsmeade.

"Why were you ... locking lips with him?" he inquired, his voice slightly muffled as I squeezed the life out of him. I pulled away and shot him a look, reusing a similar line of the day, "We just won a war... and you're focusing on that? Merlin, Father..."

"Don't give me that," he snorted dryly, his eyes wandering murderously over to Will. "I may just kill him."

"Your father already took a swing at me, sir," Will offered meekly, showing Dad his blackening eye. My father paused for a moment, and a large grin suddenly spread across his face, "Well, I'll be damned... Never thought he would actually do it. All the mutterings and grumblings now have something to show..."

Will shot me a worried look, and I laughed it off. Naturally I felt bad for him... I mean, getting clocked in the face is painful and humiliating, but he had also "kidnapped" Annie, and given up Harry to the Death Eaters... So I sort of... didn't care as much as I should have.

Annie suddenly pushed me out of the way - well, nudged, and I obliged - and Dad swept her up into his arms without another word, holding her silently for a few moments, and then letting her sit on his hip, looking rather relaxed with the little girl.

"Will was really nice to me, Father," she cooed, her bear hanging limply from her hand. "Well, he was kind of stupid... like Shane is when he is in a bad mood. But he looked after Loo real good last night... He didn't let go of her at all."

I felt my cheeks darken considerable, and Will shifted a little closer to me, as though having me between his body and Dad's was a good idea. I felt a grey pair of eyes studying me, but something else had drawn his attention.

"Where did you get the bear, Annie?"

"D gave it to me."

"Mr. D was in while me and Will were asleep last night," I explained, hoping to somehow get across that Will and I weren't wildly shagging on a desk while Annie sat nearby. "Annie says he gave it to her as a gift."

"Ah, D..." Dad chuckled. "He's a good man... We're pretty good mates, you know. Lupin says he was an undercover agent to the Order, though that's been a pretty tightly kept secret until... several minutes ago."

Wow. If you knew Mr. D, you never would have guessed he was there, working for the Order of the Phoenix like Aunt Hermione and Harry Potter.

"What's his real name, anyway?" I asked, the question randomly popping into my mind as people scuttled by, helping a wounded man over to where Remus Lupin and Uncles Fred and George were setting up a medical area. Dad paused for a moment, as though trying to remember, and then replied,

"Douglas. He hates it though... Swears he'll have a go at anyone who calls him that."

"Ah."

"Look... I'm going to go find your brothers," Dad grumbled, shifting Annie around on his hip to make himself more comfortable, and then shooting Will an irritated look. "Him and I will be discussing things very shortly, so don't let him out of your sight."

"Will do, Dad."

Will shifted from foot to foot, his eyes glued to the ground as Dad marched off through the groups of people, no doubt searching for my brothers. I glanced up at the boy next to me, and then cleared my throat, "So... Are we, you know, doing something, again?"

"Would you take me back?" was my response. Shrugging my shoulders, I stuffed one hand into my pocket, and chewed absently on my lip, thinking silently. Finally, I grinned at him, and then leaned in,

"Do you promise to be good?"

"Not all the time," he chuckled, cocking an eyebrow at the question. "Though I don't think you'll want me good all the time."

"Will!"

"What?"

"Fine, I'll take you back," I sighed dramatically, letting out an abrupt giggle as he craned his head down to kiss me, wrapping both arms around my lower back.

We're a perfect couple. No one will understand why we're together, but I think that's what makes it brilliant. I don't need anyone's approval to date someone. It's up to my gut instinct, and something in there is telling me Will is a good guy, but he just... screwed up a couple of times in his life. People need to be given a second chance, I expect.

* * *

"Should we bury him?" Hermione inquired, watching as Harry and Ron draped a cloak over Voldemort's fallen body. McGonagall wrinkled her nose, and then sighed, "He doesn't deserve it, but Albus would have wanted us to do it."

"I say we wrap him up, then chuck him in the lake," Ron muttered darkly, exchanging rather agreeable glances with her other best friend, "I mean... If he is still alive, at least we could drown him."

"Ronald!" Molly hissed, flicking the back of his ear, "Have a little respect for the dead... even if it is... him."

"Mum," Ron moaned, rolling his eyes pointedly at her.

Things were just as they were. Hermione was pleased to see that this war hadn't separated people that needed to be together for too long. It seemed that the relatives which had been separated from the Weasley clan had all been reunited. Even Percy had shown up to lend his support earlier on in the battle, and was currently with his father, who was standing with Ginny and Snape. The greasy old man said something, most likely a sarcastic comment, and the three redheads let out a laugh, Ginny leaning in to hold her husband in a tight embrace.

Were things perfect? No. There were countless injured; even McGonagall was leaning heavily on Harry as she stood there, her hand pressing against what looked like a bloody hip. People were confused as to what was going to happen, though she was pleased to see Remus had gone from tending to the sick to tending to the masses, informing them that there was already an elite team in the Alleys to round up remaining Death Eaters before they wrecked too much havoc. If they were willing, the large crowd could return home to claim what was stolen from them. He reassured them that Ministry business would be dealt with as soon as possible, and he would personally ensure that there would be elections for the new Minister.

She wasn't too sure how everyone else was feeling, but Hermione Jane Granger thought Remus Lupin would make a wonderful Minister of Magic, whether he thought so or not.  
Slowly but surely people were filing out of the Great Hall. Many had stayed behind to help escort people through the numerous Floo fireplaces to Mungo's, while a rather strong team of men from the Hogsmeade invasion were herding the Death Eaters. She had a feeling it made them feel good to order around their former captors.

Her hazel eyes peeled around the massive room, and they landed on the eldest Malfoys. Narcissa... the woman had exceeded her expectations by tenfold. She had expected the woman to be a boring, snobby housewife, yet now that she knew her, she hardly fell into that category. With tender care, the older woman was knelt down beside her dead sister, Bellatrix Lestrange, and was brushing some of the black hair out of her pale face. Lucius stood over his wife, leaning against the wall as he casually stroked her own hair every so often, affectionately watching his wife. He had landed rather harshly on his ankle when Voldemort sent him flying back, and Hermione had a feeling he had sprained it upon hitting the ground. However, proud Lucius Malfoy was refusing any advance made by the Mediwizards, and Hermione had a feeling the only person he would let tend to him was kneeling beside her fallen sister.  
Returning back to the moment, she locked eyes with Harry. He was finally _free_. Her best friend smiled at her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, dragging him into a strong embrace. Their friendship had lasted far too long now, and it seemed as though nothing could tarnish it. Even after all those years with him being on the run, somehow they had still managed to cling onto their companionship.

"You all right, Hermione?" he asked, his green eyes shining in the torch light. The sun had set some time ago, and they were well into the night by now. Thankfully, it seemed as though the castle realized this, and had lit its torches without any human effort. With a nod, Hermione smiled brilliantly up at him,

"Never better."

"Good... I'm off to help Snape with Ginny," he informed her, nodding over to the pair. "Seems like she won't let him look at her arm."

Now that she really got a look, it appeared that Ginny had been grazed by a curse, which had left her bleeding through her blue shirt. Smirking, she nodded, and Harry was off toward them, no doubt to help pressure Ginny into getting some medical help.

An airy laugh echoed from her side, and as Hermione turned to look at it, she spotted Looney Luna cuddling up to her husband, Ronald Weasley. Her eyes met his, and there was a sudden understanding between the two of them. Before this had happened, before the invasion, she and Ron had had a good long talk about where their relationship was. Yes, he was married, and she had Draco, but there were still fleeting instances where they both knew the attraction they felt during school was still around.

However, it was finished between them.

He shot her a cheeky grin, and Luna inquired, "Nothing hurt, I hope."

"My leg's acting up, but it's better than it was in Azkaban," Hermione replied truthfully, smiling at Ron, "but we'll talk more later... I should..."

She didn't really have an excuse as to why she had to leave. Thankfully, her Draco had already made one.

"Aunt Hermione!"

"Hello, Annie darling," Hermione cooed, turning away from the happy Weasley couple to spot Draco coming toward her, Annie resting contently on his hip. He looked every part the father he should be, and she couldn't help but love him a little for it.

"Found this one with her sister, and that brat of a boy Will," Draco informed her, leaning in a little so Hermione could give Annie a kiss on the cheek and a bit of a hair ruffle. "And we're off to see where my boys are..."

"No doubt trying to seem more heroic than they are," she chuckled, shooting Ron and Luna a grin before walking off with Draco, leaning on her cane a bit as they went. He glanced over at her, and shifted Annie to the other hip, holding out his free arm to her, "Want something to lean on?"

She suddenly felt her eyes water up again, and his grey orbs widened, "Bloody Hell, I didn't mean to upset you, Hermione... I know you're independent and all-"

"Shut up, Draco," she laughed, brushing away the tears of pure contentment and taking his offer up with ease. "You talk too much, sometimes."

"I talk too much?" he snorted, holding her steady as they walked better than any cane could, "Have you forgotten who you are, Ms. Granger?"

"No, I have not, Mr. Malfoy, I just-"

"Look! There's Kev!"

Hermione's eyes followed Annie's pointing finger, and she spotted both of Draco's sons chatting with Snape. Ginny had been swept off by Harry to the medical area, it seemed, and Snape seemed rather weary. He was old, after all. There were times that Hermione had to remind herself that he was a lot older than Ginny... _A lot_ older.

"Is it really over, Dad?" Shane asked as Draco set Annie down. The little blonde girl ploughed over into her brother, Kevin, nearly knocked him over, and refused to let go of his waist. He looked a little uncomfortable with the sudden attention, but that didn't faze his little sister at all.

"Well, the war is basically finished," Snape answered for Draco, who seemed a little unsure himself.

"With the Dark Lord dead, the Death Eaters will have nowhere to turn to... No one to order them around. The Ministry is fallen completely, but it'll be started up by the Order members, no doubt."

"Will we see you running for Minister, Uncle?" Draco chuckled, curving his arm around Hermione's waist to better steady her. The woman's head cocked up to him, and she smiled, even though he wasn't looking.

Snape let out a loud snort, and then shook his head, "No. I want a quiet life... Just me and my wife."

"And us," Annie trilled loudly from Kevin's side, smiling toothily at her "uncle". Snape sighed, "Yes... I suppose none of you are going anywhere soon."

"Nope," Shane laughed, shoving his hands into his pockets, "I've got a year left of school, Loo's got two-"

"You'll be attending Hogwarts officially now," Draco informed his son, "as I'm sure Potter will be wanting to head it... No need to trouble your uncle with tutoring anymore."

Hermione could have sworn she heard Snape mutter a 'thank Merlin', but she wasn't too sure.

"Speaking of Loo," Kevin started, his eyes wandering about the emptying Great Hall. "Where is she?"

"She's with Will," Hermione replied before the rude comment that Draco had brewing could slip out. Shane's eyes narrowed considerably, and he snapped, "With Will? Why is she-"

"Will's nice," Annie hissed, poking her eldest brother sharply with her finger. "He took care of me 'n Loo..."

Snape released a loud snort, "I'm sure he did..."

Draco shot his uncle a rather disgusted and irritated look, and Hermione couldn't help but laugh.


	52. Epilogue

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

The epilogue (this addition) will include a small blurb on what happens with each character within a month of the battle.

I hope you enjoyed the story! For many, this is their second or even third time reading it, and I still love it. The whole thing was finished over three years ago, and although my writing has improved or changed, it still makes me happy. Thanks for those that took the time to review, and I hope you still love the characters as much as I do.

I have a few one shots for this story. They include how Ginny and Severus got together... which is sort of a prequel to this story, and then I was starting sequels, which would just be one shots and little tidbits here and there. I haven't delved too far into them since I finished this, but if people are interested and I've got the support, I might continue to write them.

* * *

Harry Potter took up the position of Headmaster at Hogwarts. He had no competitors for the position, and was quite eager to take on the role. He is still single, but hopes to settle down sometime soon.

Ron Weasley and his wife Luna moved down from Scotland to England in order to be closer to the rest of their family. With no imminent danger of Death Eaters and Voldemort, they felt safe to be back in England. Ron is currently the Quidditch master at Hogwarts, in charge of flying lessons for younger students, and referee for all Quidditch matches. His sons still have quite a while to go before he sends them to school, but Luna was thinking of opening a wizarding primary school for children under the age of eleven. That idea is still under construction, but it has the support of countless parents.

Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy purchased a rather expensive home for Arthur and Molly Weasley, simply as a gift for their reuniting. It is close to the Malfoy Manor, and oddly enough, the two couples have become close. Remus Lupin and Nymphadora are also regular guests of the Malfoy Manor, seeing as Narcissa wants to get to know her niece more than ever.

Neville Longbottom took up the job as Herbology master at Hogwarts. Harry saved the part especially for him, and he accepted it without any hesitation.

Remus Lupin was elected Minister of Magic. His wife, Nymphadora, is pregnant with her first baby, and taking it easy.

Mr. D (Douglas) has been relieved of all duties toward the Order, and was given a large pension for his efforts as a spy over the past several decades. He took up the position as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts, but has yet to tell Draco that Annie is his daughter.

Minerva McGonagall passed away peacefully at St. Mungo's. She was old, and her death was summed up to a well lived life.

Hagrid is back as games keeper, and Harry reluctantly hired him as Care of Magical Creatures professor, despite Ron's pleas to not let him back into that role.

Draco Malfoy has moved out of his parent's house at last, only to buy the plot of land behind their property and have an enormous manor built on it. No one seemed to have any objections with it. He is still courting Hermione Granger, and plans on asking her to marry him soon. Remus gave him the position of head of the Magical Sports department in the Ministry, and finds it more relaxing than ever. His secretary, Lynn, is still working for him.

Hermione Granger was offered the position as librarian at Hogwarts, and she took it. Thankfully, none of the professors are required to live at home. Harry liked that students did not have to attend boarding school, seeing as it gave everyone a break. So, upon Hermione's suggestion, they opened up a new hall dedicated for Floo fireplaces, which allow students access into the grounds from home. She has fallen for Draco Malfoy, hard, though she is still worried about their relationship.

Shane Malfoy is still horrible at his studies, loves to write songs, and is dating Sawyer Grey. He is considering taking up a musical contract from a Muggle, but has yet to tell his father.

Eloise Malfoy has returned happily to Hogwarts, content that there are countless more girls there, and all four houses are operational again. She and Will started dating again, and though have their problems, don't plan on ending it anytime soon.

Kevin Malfoy has suddenly found himself very popular at school. Everyone thinks he is some war hero, (at least his peers do), and has found himself surrounded by a fan club of girls, all eager to get attention from him.

Annie Malfoy is still oblivious of her mother's death, and of the fact that Draco is not her real father. She spends most of her time with her grandparents, or the Snapes, when her father is working. At the moment, she is quite the happy go lucky little girl, and no one has seen any signs of trauma from the war.

Severus Snape and his wife Ginny are living the quiet life. However, Ginny has somehow ended up pregnant, and can't find a way to tell her husband. She occasionally works with her brother at school, as she still has an avid love for Quidditch, while Severus is happily enjoying a peaceful retirement.

All known Death Eaters have been rounded up, and sent to an exclusive prison. There are some that were shoved back into the restored Azkaban, but very few. Even those who repented their old ways have been sent to prison, though their sentence is shorter.

Darius Zabini still has an obsession with Eloise Malfoy, and can't get her out of his head. He plans on acting on previous threats very soon.

Fred and George opened up one of the largest shops in New Diagon Alley, and have been doing charity fundraisers to help everyone who lost so much during the war. Fred's wife is currently expecting her baby any day now, and George's wife still has a month or so to go.

The Jamesons are still in contact, though not as much as the Malfoys would like.

Bo has gotten massive, and before Draco moved him out of his parent's house, he chewed all of Lucius's slippers, and left tooth marks in Narcissa's fine furniture. Draco managed to get him out before his father turned the dog into a carpet.


End file.
